Context:

Marcus Semien's 250th career home run and Adolis García's timely hitting propelled the Texas Rangers to a 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros, helping them clinch the series. Nathan Eovaldi delivered an impressive pitching performance for the Rangers, allowing just five hits and one run while striking out eight over 7 2/3 innings. Despite a solid start, Houston's Hunter Brown struggled, giving up four runs and five hits in five innings, marking his second disappointing outing in a row. The Rangers took an early lead in the second inning, driven by Wyatt Langford's walk and Evan Carter's triple, followed by Ezequiel Duran's double. Zack Short's solo home run in the sixth inning was not enough for the Astros, as Semien sealed the win with his milestone homer in the eighth inning.

Dive Deeper:

• Marcus Semien reached a career milestone by hitting his 250th home run, contributing significantly to the Texas Rangers' 5-1 victory over the Houston Astros. His homer in the eighth inning marked his second in the series, further solidifying the Rangers' lead.

• Nathan Eovaldi delivered a commanding pitching performance for the Rangers, limiting the Astros to one run and five hits while striking out eight over 7 2/3 innings. This win marked Eovaldi's third consecutive victory, highlighting his current form.

• Houston Astros' pitcher Hunter Brown faced difficulties, allowing four runs and five hits in five innings and marking his second consecutive challenging game following a rough start against Cleveland.

• The Texas Rangers established an early lead in the second inning with Wyatt Langford's walk and Evan Carter's triple, followed by Ezequiel Duran's ground-rule double, which put them ahead 2-0.

• Adolis García's home run in the third inning extended the Rangers' lead to 3-0, showcasing his continued success against the Astros, against whom he has hit 20 home runs since 2021.

• In the fourth inning, Carter doubled and scored on Alejandro Osuna's sacrifice fly, further increasing the Rangers' advantage to 4-0. The Astros managed to score only once through Zack Short's home run in the sixth inning.

• This victory not only clinched the series for the Rangers but also marked a challenging period for the Astros, who have lost five of their last six games as they prepare to face Seattle in the next series.