Jose Altuve’s Power Surge Leads Astros Past Rangers in Silver Boot Sweep
The Houston Astros made a resounding statement on Wednesday night, capping off a commanding sweep of the Texas Rangers with a 5-2 victory at Daikin Park. In a pivotal moment, Jose Altuve launched a two-run homer off Jacob deGrom, breaking a 2-2 tie in the third inning and propelling the Astros back into first place in the AL West. This win, combined with the Seattle Mariners’ loss in Kansas City, put Houston a half-game ahead in the fiercely contested division race.
Altuve’s Heroics Light the Way
With the game knotted at two runs apiece, Carlos Correa ignited the rally in the bottom of the third with a single. Two batters later, Altuve seized the moment, turning on a fastball from deGrom and sending it soaring into the left-field seats. This marked the 37th career home run for Altuve against the Rangers, the most he has hit against any single opponent.
Jeremy Peña further solidified Houston’s advantage by launching a solo shot in the fifth inning, forcing deGrom out of the game after just five innings of work. This sequence provided the Astros with essential breathing room as they looked to solidify their position atop the division.
Astros Pitching Shines Bright
On the mound, Cristian Javier displayed sharpness in his seventh start since returning from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander delivered a solid six-inning performance, surrendering only two runs on five hits while racking up four strikeouts. Bryan King stepped in to close the game, throwing a scoreless ninth inning to secure his second save of the season.
DeGrom, however, continued to struggle against the Astros. He allowed five runs on six hits and faced an arduous 35-pitch first inning that set a challenging tone for his outing.
Astros Dominate the Series
With this victory, the Astros now hold a 7-6 advantage in the season series against the Rangers, successfully claiming the Silver Boot rivalry for the eighth consecutive year. Houston has maintained a strong grip on this matchup, having not lost the head-to-head battle since 2016. Meanwhile, the Rangers are now on a four-game losing streak and find themselves trailing the Astros by five games in the standings with just over a week left in the regular season.
Looking Ahead
Both teams will have a day off on Thursday. The Rangers will return home to face the Miami Marlins, while the Astros gear up for a crucial weekend series against the Seattle Mariners—an encounter that could ultimately decide the fate of the AL West.
The intensity of the playoff race is palpable, as teams jockey for position with the postseason looming just around the corner.
