Astros Pull Closer to Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers' lead atop the AL West is down to two games after the Houston Astros one Monday's series opener.

Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

HOUSTON – For the second consecutive game, the Texas Rangers spotted their opponent four first-inning runs.

And for the second consecutive day, they almost overcame it.

The Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz singled to right field to score Kyle Tucker in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Rangers 10-9 in the opener of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros (57-44) pulled to within two games of the first-place Rangers (59-42) in the AL West.

The teams combined to score nine runs in the first two innings, as the Rangers found themselves trailing 4-2 after the first inning for the second day in a row.

The Rangers scored three in the second with only one ball leaving the infield thanks to walks and a fielding error by first baseman Jose Abreu.

After the Astros tied it at 6-6 with two runs in the fifth, the Rangers scored three in the seventh, including two runs on bases-loaded walks. But the Astros came right back with three in the bottom of the inning on Chas McCormick's three-run homer off Aroldis Chapman.

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Astros 10, Rangers 9

Highlights from the first game of the Rangers-Astros series in Houston. <br>

Aroldis Chapman Rocked

Aroldis Chapman had been perfect since joining the Rangers via a trade with the Royals on June 30.
He's perfect no more. Chas McCormick's three-run homer in the seventh inning tied Monday's game at 9-9 and are the first runs Chapman has allowed with the Rangers after seven shutout innings in seven appearances. 

Chapman was brought in to start the seventh to face the heart of Houston's lineup. It started off predictably, as he struck out Alex Bregman on three pitches. But He lost his command and walked the next two batters before McCormick homered to left on a 97 mph first-pitch fastball.

Chapman threw 24 pitches in the inning, in part because of shortstop Ezequiel Duran's throwing error to first, before getting pinch-hitter Corey Julks swinging to end the inning.

Jon Gray Attempts Recovery

Rangers starter Jon Gray was tagged with four runs in the first five Astros reached, including Chas McCormick's bases-loaded, two-run double.

But just as Martin Perez did on Sunday, Gray was able to recover enough to give Texas some innings. Unlike Perez, however, Gray was unable to shut out his opponent for the remainder of his appearance. The Astros added two runs in the fifth to tie it at 6-6. Gray was charged six runs on seven hits and three walks. He struck out six in five innings. Perez held the Dodgers scoreless in his final five innings after allowing a grand slam in Sunday's 8-4 win.

Up Next

The Rangers and Astros play Game 2 of their three-game series at 7:10 p.m. Tuesday. The Rangers have not announced who will start against Astros' right-hander J.P. France (5-3, 3.13).

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You can follow Stefan Stevenson on Twitter @StefanVersusTex.

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