Ronald Guzman reached on an infield single with the bases loaded, capping the Texas Rangers' rally from a five-run deficit in a 6-5, 10-inning win over the host Houston Astros on Saturday.
Guzman plated Jurickson Profar with his sharp grounder off the glove of Astros right-hander Will Harris (0-1). Alex Claudio got the last out in the bottom of the 10th, stranding a pair of runners, for his first save.
Trailing 5-2 entering the eighth inning, the Rangers mounted a surprising rally against Astros right-hander Brad Peacock, with Joey Gallo and then Guzman slugging home runs to erase that deficit. Gallo bashed his fifth homer off the foul pole in right field, scoring Profar. Two batters later, Guzman golfed his first career homer just over the right field wall.
Peacock was victimized by ineffective sliders on both home runs, the same pitch Twins right fielder Max Kepler blasted for a walk-off home run on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
After making two starts without allowing an earned run, Astros starter Charlie Morton saw that streak end when Rangers rookie second baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa smacked a solo home run to left field leading off the fifth inning for his first career dinger. Morton allowed another solo blast to Adrian Beltre in the sixth.
Morton surrendered two runs, six hits plus a walk in six innings. He matched his career high of 12 strikeouts.
The Astros scuffled their first time through the order against Rangers left-hander Mike Minor.
Minor faced the minimum through three innings but cratered in the fourth, allowing the first five batters to reach before recording an out. By then, the Astros led 5-0, with Carlos Correa roping a two-run double to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat prior to Yuli Gurriel depositing his first home run of the season, a three-run shot into the seats in left field.
Minor allowed five runs on five hits and one walk, but Texas' rally removed him from the hook.
--Field Level Media