Astros Edge Rangers 6-5, Boost Wild-Card Position

The Houston Astros survived a late scare on Tuesday night and edged out a wild 6-5 win over the Texas Rangers. This one tightened an already fierce AL playoff race.

Houston’s offense came out swinging, building a big 6-0 lead behind Jeremy Peña and José Altuve. The Rangers didn’t go away, though—they clawed back with a late surge before Bryan Abreu shut the door in the ninth.

The win kept Houston right on Seattle’s heels in the AL West. It also preserved their slim lead over the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card standings and pushed Texas further back in the chase.

Houston’s Explosive Start

The Astros wasted no time putting pressure on Texas starter Merrill Kelly. They hammered away over the first four innings and forced Kelly out early in the fourth.

By then, Houston had built what looked like a comfortable cushion. The offense just kept coming.

Peña’s Perfect Night

Jeremy Peña was the spark plug, going a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk and scoring twice. He kept the Rangers’ pitching staff on their heels and gave Houston’s big bats plenty of chances.

Houston’s scoring spree featured a two-run single from Jesús Sánchez that widened the lead. Yainer Díaz chipped in with an RBI double to cap a four-run fourth inning.

José Altuve added a pair of RBIs. By then, the Astros looked set for an easy night—at least for a while.

Pitching Paves the Way Early

Houston’s pitching looked sharp right out of the gate. Rookie starter AJ Blubaugh tossed three shutout innings, struck out seven, and kept Texas hitters guessing.

He set the tone for what felt like a dominant night on the mound.

Colton Gordon Steps Up

When Blubaugh’s outing ended, Colton Gordon took over and picked up the win. He had to work around a few Texas rallies but held things together long enough for Houston’s lead to last.

Rangers Fight Back

Down 6-0, the Rangers didn’t pack it in. In the eighth inning, they mounted a fierce comeback with a string of timely hits and aggressive baserunning.

Heim’s Homer Sparks Late Surge

Pinch-hitter Jonah Heim lit a fire under Texas with a clutch home run. It breathed new life into the Rangers’ dugout.

Josh Jung followed with an RBI double, trimming the deficit. Adolis García then singled in another run, pulling Texas within one at 6-5.

Suddenly, the Rangers had all the momentum. The finish got tense fast.

Abreu Closes the Door

With Texas threatening in both the eighth and ninth, Houston called on their bullpen ace. Bryan Abreu got the last out in the eighth to halt the rally.

The drama wasn’t over. In the ninth, Texas put runners on first and second with two outs.

The Final Strikeout

Abreu faced Kyle Higashioka in a high-pressure spot and struck him out to end it. That gave Abreu his seventh save of the season.

The final pitch sealed an emotional win for the Astros. With the playoff race heating up, every game feels massive now.

Playoff Implications

The win kept Houston just a half-game behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West standings. They also held a razor-thin half-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for the final wild-card spot.

The Texas Rangers took a tough loss, which dropped them 3 ½ games out of postseason position. Time’s running out for them to make up ground.

• Astros: 0.5 games behind AL West lead
• Astros: 0.5 games ahead in wild-card race
• Rangers: 3.5 games out of playoff spot

Houston’s win felt like more than just another notch in the standings. It showed they’re not backing down, not with so much on the line.

Texas has to regroup fast if they want to keep their playoff dreams alive. No one’s counting them out yet, but it’s definitely an uphill climb.

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Here is the source article for this story: Astros hold off Rangers 6-5 to keep pace in AL West and improve wild-card position