ARLINGTON, Texas — Yordan Alvarez homered for the second game in a row, among his three hits as Houston rallied from an early deficit to beat the Texas Rangers 10-5 on Monday night after Astros scheduled starter Framber Valdez was scratched because of elbow soreness.
No. 9 batter Victor Caratini added a three-run homer as the Astros earned a split in the four-game series that was the first this season between the AL West rivals.
Seth Martinez (1-0) worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief as the first of four pitchers after Blair Henley retired only one of the nine batters he faced when making his major league debut starting in place of Valdez, who returned to Houston to be evaluated by team doctors. Tayler Scott, Brandon Bielak and Bryan Abreu also didn't allow any runs.
The Astros had a 2-0 lead before Henley threw his first pitch, but the 26-year-old from nearby Fort Worth allowed five runs before getting an out on his 34th pitch. His first seven pitches were balls before he allowed three consecutive singles, and then with the bases loaded walked a batter and hit another to force in two runs. Jared Walsh then blooped a two-run single to shallow left to give the World Series champions a 5-2 lead.
Alvarez got Houston within 5-4 with his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot that he pulled 431 feet deep into the seats in right field off Texas starter Andrew Heaney (0-2). Alvarez greeted reliever Brock Burke with an RBI double in the fourth that tied the game at 5-5, and Kyle Tucker immediately followed with a tiebreaking two-run single.
Heaney was charged with six runs over 3 2/3 innings. The left-hander allowed four hits while walking three and striking out two.
SEE YOU AGAIN REAL SOON
The Rangers and Astros open a three-game series Friday night in Houston, so will play seven of their 13 games against each other in the first 2 1/2 weeks this season. Both teams finished 90-72 last year, but Houston won the AL West title with the head-to-head tiebreaker by going 9-4. The Rangers won the AL pennant after a seven-game American Championship Series against the Astros when the road team won every game.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Manager Joe Espada said RHP Justin Verlander (right shoulder inflammation) “woke up feeling well” a day after throwing 65 pitches for Triple-A Sugar Land in his first rehab start. Verlander will throw on the side Wednesday and make another rehab start in the minors this weekend before rejoining the Astros.
Rangers: Rookie INF Justin Foscue (left oblique strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list, and INF Davis Wendzel had his contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock. 3B Josh Jung (right wrist fracture) was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL.
UP NEXT
Houston opens a three-game series at Kansas City with Cristian Javier (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on the mound Tuesday night.
Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 1.38) makes his third start of the season for Texas in the series opener at home against Oakland.
