Astros hold off Rangers, leapfrog Red Sox in wild-card race

HOUSTON (AP) — Jeremy Peña went 3 for 3 and scored twice, Jose Altuve drove in two runs and the Houston Astros held on Tuesday night for a 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers.

Jesús Sánchez had a two-run single for the Astros, who nearly squandered a 6-0 lead. But they remained a half-game behind red-hot Seattle for first place in the AL West and moved a half-game ahead of Boston for the second of three American League wild cards.

Houston led by five when pinch-hitter Rowdy Tellez walked with two outs in the eighth inning. Jonah Heim's pinch-hit homer off Enyel De Los Santos cut it to 6-3.

Kyle Higashioka singled before an RBI double by Josh Jung pulled Texas to 6-4 and chased De Los Santos.

Bryan Abreu took over and walked Alejandro Osuna before pinch-hitter Adolis García’s run-scoring single made it 6-5. Abreu retired Cody Freeman on a flyball to end the inning.

In the ninth, Abreu allowed a leadoff single to Josh Smith and a two-out single to Heim before striking out Higashioka for his seventh save.

The Astros led by two and had runners on first and second with no outs in the fourth when Yainer Diaz hit an RBI double to make it 3-0. Sánchez followed with a single on a grounder to right field to score two more. Peña singled to chase starter Merrill Kelly (12-8).

Cole Winn struck out Carlos Correa before Altuve singled home Sánchez to make it 6-0.

Kelly yielded nine hits and six runs in three-plus innings.

Freeman hit a solo homer in the fifth for the Rangers, who have lost three straight games for the first time since dropping four in a row from Aug. 12-16. They are 3 1/2 games behind Boston for the last AL playoff spot with 10 to play.

Houston starter AJ Blubaugh allowed two hits and struck out seven over three scoreless innings in his second major league start. Colton Gordon (5-4) gave up two hits and a run in three innings of relief for the win.

Key moment

Abreu's strikeout of Higashioka to complete the four-out save.

Key stat

The season series between the teams is tied 6-6.

Up next

Texas RHP Jacob deGrom (12-7, 2.82 ERA) opposes RHP Cristian Javier (1-3, 4.78) in the series finale Wednesday night.

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