Houston, TX (July 12, 2025) — In a tense battle between AL West rivals, Zack Short delivered the knockout blow with a walk-off RBI single in the 11th inning, lifting the Houston Astros to a 5-4 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.
Short, who entered the game as a pinch runner in the ninth, stepped up in a pressure-packed moment and delivered. With the bases loaded and one out, Short lined a 1-1 pitch from Hoby Milner into right field to score Jon Singleton and seal the Astros’ dramatic comeback. The game-winner marked only Short’s fifth hit of the season but arguably the most important one for Houston thus far.
Late-Inning Drama Unfolds
After Texas grabbed a 4-3 lead in the top of the 11th on Adolis García’s RBI single that scored automatic runner Marcus Semien, Houston responded with poise and persistence. Robert Garcia (1-5) issued back-to-back walks to load the bases for Houston before Christian Walker’s sacrifice fly tied the game 4-4. Short then came through with the decisive swing, handing Milner (0-2) the loss.
The Rangers had the edge late, but an earlier misstep proved costly. In the ninth inning, Josh Hader — perfect in save opportunities this season until now — surrendered a solo home run to Kyle Higashioka with two outs, tying the game 3-3. The blast was Higashioka’s fifth of the season and ended Hader’s streak of 25 consecutive saves to start the year.
Stars Shine in the Spotlight
Before the extra-inning fireworks, both teams leaned on their stars to ignite the offense. Jose Altuve matched an early unearned Texas run with a solo homer in the first inning off Jacob deGrom. It was Altuve’s 17th long ball of the season, evening the game at 1-1.
Yainer Diaz put Houston ahead 2-1 in the fourth with his 14th home run of the season — a no-doubter off deGrom — and Mauricio Dubón added to the lead in the seventh with a solo shot of his own against Jacob Webb. That made it 3-1, but Texas wasn’t done.
In the eighth, Marcus Semien trimmed the deficit with his 11th home run of the season, setting the stage for García’s go-ahead RBI in extra innings — and ultimately, Houston’s thrilling response.
Pitchers Deal in a Duel
Both starting pitchers delivered strong performances in what had the feel of a playoff-caliber showdown. Framber Valdez continued his dominant form, striking out 10 without walking a batter across six innings. He allowed just four hits and one unearned run. The Astros have now won 12 straight games started by Valdez, who has personally notched nine wins in that stretch.
Jacob deGrom was equally impressive for Texas, allowing just two runs on four hits and a walk over six innings while striking out eight. The former Cy Young winner showcased his elite command and velocity, but ultimately settled for a no-decision.
Striking Stats
Texas hitters struck out 19 times in the game — just two shy of the franchise record for strikeouts in an extra-inning contest. The Astros’ bullpen, behind arms like Hader, Sousa (who earned the win), and closer-turned-setup-man Ryan Pressly, combined for seven strikeouts over five innings of work.
What’s Next
With the win, Houston (56-39) halts a four-game skid and narrows the season series deficit against the Rangers to 3-3. The loss drops Texas to 47-49, just shy of the .500 mark once again.
The teams meet for the rubber match Sunday evening at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is set for 6:10 p.m. CT. The Rangers will send right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (7-4, 3.11 ERA) to the mound, while the Astros counter with rookie sensation Luis Garcia (5-1, 2.92 ERA). With the All-Star break looming, bragging rights and critical momentum are both on the line
