HOUSTON (July 13, 2025) — The Texas Rangers capped their pre-All-Star break stretch in emphatic fashion, riding the bats of Marcus Semien and Adolis García, along with a stellar outing from Nathan Eovaldi, to a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on Sunday evening. The win not only gave Texas the series win over their AL West rivals but also marked a statement road victory heading into the second half of the season.

Eovaldi (7-3) was dominant from the start, allowing just one run on five hits over 7 2/3 innings. The veteran right-hander struck out eight and didn’t allow a walk, showing pinpoint command and efficiency in what was his third consecutive winning decision.

“I felt like I was in a good rhythm early, and the defense behind me made all the difference,” Eovaldi said postgame. “Beating Houston is always big, especially here.”

Jumping Ahead Early

The Rangers wasted no time getting to Astros starter Hunter Brown, tagging the All-Star for two runs in the second inning to grab an early lead that would hold for the rest of the game.

Wyatt Langford led off the second with a walk, and Evan Carter followed with a line-drive RBI triple into the right-center field gap, scoring Langford easily. Two batters later, Ezequiel Duran lifted a ground-rule double down the left-field line to bring home Carter and make it 2-0.

García added to the tally in the third with a towering solo home run — his 20th against Houston since 2021, the most by any MLB player over that span. The right fielder has now gone deep three times in his last four games, heating up at just the right time.

“I just try to be aggressive and look for my pitch,” García said. “These games mean a little more. You want to step up.”

Insurance Runs and Milestones

Texas added to its lead in the fourth inning when Carter doubled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Alejandro Osuna, pushing the score to 4-0. Carter, who had been slumping slightly in early July, looked locked in at the plate and delivered a multi-hit game.

Houston finally got on the board in the sixth when Zack Short hit a solo home run off Eovaldi — his second of the season. That would be all the Astros could manage as the Rangers’ ace kept them off-balance all night with a steady mix of cutters and curveballs.

In the top of the eighth, Marcus Semien put the finishing touches on the win with a solo blast to left field off reliever Tayler Scott. It was Semien’s second homer of the series and the 250th of his career, an achievement that adds to his quietly impressive résumé as one of the league’s most reliable infielders.

“It’s special,” Semien said of the milestone. “But more than anything, I’m glad it helped us get a win.”

Stat Sheet & Takeaways

• Key Moment: The Rangers’ two-run second inning set the tone early and proved to be all they would need behind Eovaldi’s brilliance.

• Key Stat: García’s 20 home runs against Houston since 2021 lead all MLB hitters vs. the Astros in that span.

• Eovaldi retired 10 of the first 12 batters he faced and recorded six 1-2-3 innings.

• Texas hitters struck out just five times on the night, displaying a patient and disciplined approach.

Looking Ahead

With the win, the Rangers improve to 48-49, just one game below .500 heading into the All-Star break. After an inconsistent first half marred by injuries and uneven performances, the Rangers appear to be turning the corner with improved starting pitching and timely hitting.

For Houston, the loss drops them to 56-40 and marks their fifth defeat in six games. The once-surging Astros have looked vulnerable heading into the break, particularly with recent bullpen struggles and a few uncharacteristic defensive lapses.

The Rangers return to action on July 19 with a home series against the Oakland Athletics, while the Astros resume play against the Mariners. But for now, the Lone Star bragging rights belong to Arlington.