ARLINGTON -- The Astros cranked three home runs, including Yordan Alvarez’s 31st of the season in the first inning and a third-inning grand slam by LaMonte Wade Jr., to back a strong outing from Peter Lambert and beat the Rangers, 9-3, on Saturday night at Globe Life Field.
Lambert, who was signed to a Minor League deal in the offseason after throwing last year in Japan, has been Houston’s most consistent starting pitcher this year. He held the Rangers to three hits and one run -- a home run by Ezequiel Duran in the fourth inning -- while striking out seven batters and walking only one.
Lambert (8-5) took over the team lead in wins and lowered his ERA to 3.14 in 86 innings pitched this year. The Astros are 9-6 in games he’s started.
Alvarez followed a leadoff in the first inning by Jeremy Peña by crushing a Kumar Rocker fastball, a Statcast-projected 425 feet to straightaway center field to extend his AL home run lead to 31. It was Alvarez’s seventh homer this year at Globe Life Field and 19th of his career at the venue.
Alvarez sparked the Astros in the third with a one-out double, moving to second on an Isaac Paredes walk and third on a Jose Altuve single that loaded the bases. Wade hit a Rocket slider 400 feet over the right-field wall for a 6-0 lead. Christian Vázquez homered in the fourth to put Houston ahead, 7-0.
Alvarez drew a four-pitch walk in the fourth and took a close 3-2 pitch from reliever Gavin Collyer for another walk in the sixth. Facing Chris Martin in the eighth, he popped out in foul territory and was retired for the first time in the game.