USA TODAY Sports

Rangers' Lead On Astros Down To 1 Game Atop AL West

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Rangers
By Stefan Stevenson | Last updated 7/25/23

HOUSTON – The Texas Rangers' lead atop the AL West is down to one game.

The Houston Astros beat the Rangers 4-3 for the second consecutive night to tighten the division race.

The Astros can pull even with the Rangers with a sweep in the series finale at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday.

The Rangers (59-43), without starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi for the series, were forced into a bullpen game, which included Yerry Rodriguez starting and pitching two innings.

The Astros ( 58-44) scored two in the second inning against Rodriguez after the first three batters walked, singled, and doubled.

Cody Bradford replaced Rodriguez in the third and held the Astros to a run over four innings. The lone run came on Kyle Tucker's homer in the sixth that made it 3-1. The Rangers scored in the top of the inning to briefly cut Houston's lead in half. Bradford lasted five innings, holding the Astros to two runs on six hits.

Mitch Garver's two-run homer in the ninth pulled Texas to within 4-3, but Leody Taveras flew out to the right-field track to end the game.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Rangers and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: