Jonah Heim clubbed a three-run homer that capped a six-run third inning and the Texas Rangers added four runs in the sixth to top the host Houston Astros 12-8 Friday.
Heim followed a bases-loaded walk from Josh Smith and an RBI single by Wyatt Langford with his second home run this season, a 408-foot shot to right-center field that pushed Texas to a 7-1 lead. Heim was the sixth consecutive batter to reach in the third off Astros starter J.P. France.
France (0-2) surrendered an RBI single to Adolis Garcia in the top of the first and a run-scoring single to Evan Carter in the fourth that scored Marcus Semien and extended Texas’ lead to 8-1. The third was a forgettable frame for France, who issued walks to Corey Seager, Garcia and Smith in addition to the hits recorded by Langford and Heim. Carter added a single that inning.
France completed a nightmarish turn through the rotation for the Astros by allowing eight runs on eight hits and four walks with three strikeouts over four innings.
Garcia added an RBI single in the sixth before Heim added a run-scoring groundout and Jared Walsh delivered a two-run single that capped a four-run inning off Astros reliever Joel Kuhnel. The production seemed gratuitous as Texas built a 12-3 lead, but Houston rallied in the seventh.
Kyle Tucker clubbed his second home run of the game and fourth of the season to ignite a five-run uprising that started against Rangers reliever Brock Burke and continued against Grant Anderson, who allowed an RBI single to Mauricio Dubon and a two-run double to Jake Meyers.
But that rally fizzled for Houston, which suffered a fourth consecutive loss.
Carter went 3-for-5 and scored twice. Seager and Garcia produced two hits apiece and both scored two runs. Rangers starter Dane Dunning (2-1) allowed three runs on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts over five innings.
–Field Level Media