Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker slugged back-to-back home runs, Yordan Alvarez reached base four times, and the Houston Astros moved into first place in the American League West with an 11-2 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday.
Houston won for the ninth time in 10 games and clinched the season series against its in-state and division rivals. The Astros improved to 36-24 since they were a season-worst 11 games under .500 on May 20, and they reclaimed the top spot in the AL West for the first time since sharing the lead of April 6.
Jeremy Pena added three hits and three RBIs for the Astros, while Yainer Diaz’s four hits included a solo homer.
Evan Carter finished with two hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who took their third loss in a row. Corey Seager, back after missing a month due to lower back inflammation, went 2-for-3.
The Astros pounced on Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (10-9) with a three-spot in the second inning. Taylor Trammell doubled, Diaz singled, and LaMonte Wade Jr. drove home Trammell with a double.
Alvarez added a two-run single later in the inning, extending the lead to 3-0.
Houston’s Cam Smith tripled with two outs in the fourth and scored on Pena’s single to left.
The Astros’ lead swelled to 6-0 in the fifth. Paredes smacked his 15th home run to left field leading off the frame. Walker followed with his 22nd of the season, a 428-foot drive to left-center.
Eovaldi allowed a season-high-tying six runs on 10 hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings.
Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.
Joc Pederson, who walked in the first and third against Brown, smacked his 20th home run leading off the sixth before Seager doubled and scored later in that inning.
Diaz homered in the Astros’ four-run seventh inning and posted his second consecutive four-hit game. Alvarez, Paredes and Smith recorded two-hit games.
