​ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Nimmo delivered a game-ending single that scored Wyatt Langford, who had reached on a leadoff single and moved to scoring position as the ninth inning unfolded. Nimmo’s hit, his third of the game, completed a 6-5 comeback by the Texas Rangers over the Houston Astros as the teams reached the All-Star break with Texas holding a winning record at 49-47. Langford started the decisive frame with a single off Josh Hader (3-1) and moved to second when Zach Dezenzo misplayed a ball for an error. He advanced on Josh Jung’s single and came home when Nimmo lofted a one-hop grounder that glanced off Hader’s raised glove and into center field, giving Texas its fourth walk-off victory of the season.
Nimmo recorded his first walk-off plate appearance for Texas and the seventh of his Major League career. In the ninth, All-Star closer Jacob Latz (2-1) intentionally walked Yordan Álvarez with two outs and no one on, marking Álvarez’s second intentional free pass of the game, before Latz retired Isaac Paredes on a popout to end the frame. Texas rode the momentum from the late surge to claim two of three in the in-state series and extend its lead in the American League West to 1 1/2 games over the Seattle Mariners (who sit at 48-49) and by three games over the Astros (47-51). The Rangers have now won eight of their last 10 series rubber games, underscoring their push toward the postseason.
The night started with a setback for Houston as center fielder Brice Matthews injured his left knee colliding with the wall in the first inning while trying to haul in a Jung drive, forcing him to leave the game and later be replaced by a pinch hitter in the second inning. On the mound, Houston’s Cristian Javier struggled through three innings in his first appearance since straining his right shoulder on April 8, yielding three earned runs, four hits, and three walks. Texas countered with MacKenzie Gore, who allowed one run and two hits over four innings in his first big-league appearance on three days’ rest, as the club had previously scratched Jacob deGrom due to a mild left glute strain.
Texas built an early lead with Nicky Lopez delivering an RBI single and Joc Pederson adding a two-run double to make it 3-0 in the second inning. Jose Altuve answered with a leadoff homer in the fourth, and Nimmo’s RBI triple widened the gap to 4-1 in the fifth. The Astros climbed back in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Jeremy Peña and a two-run single by Paredes after Álvarez was intentionally walked to load the bases. The score remained tight until Cam Smith connected for an eighth-inning homer to put Houston ahead 5-4, only for Kyle Higashioka to answer with a solo shot in the bottom half to knot the game again at five.
In the end, Nimmo’s walk-off single sealed the drama, giving Texas the 6-5 victory. The Astros will continue their road trip with a visit to Baltimore beginning Friday, while the Rangers open a series at Atlanta on Friday. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb for additional coverage and updates.