ARLINGTON -- Nomar Mazara gave the Rangers their first lead of the season when he smashed a home run off Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel in the second inning of Texas' 5-1 victory Friday night at Globe Life Park.
The home run gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead and came on Mazara's first at-bat against a left-hander this season. Mazara had just one home run in 123 at-bats against lefties last year. Keuchel allowed only three homers against left-handed hitters in 110 at-bats in 2017.
"I have been feeling pretty good since the second half of last year against left-handers," Mazara said. "I'm not where I want to be but I am getting better."
The home run came on an 0-1 sinker that Mazara sent over the right-center field wall.
"Very encouraging," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "We saw it in Spring Training. [Mazara] is letting the [pitch] travel and not jumping out at it, using the middle part of the field. That was a tough left-hander he was facing."
Mazara's home run had an exit velocity of 111.4 mph, with just a 19-degree launch angle. It's the third-hardest home run he's hit in his career and tied for his second-lowest launch angle. It's also the hardest home run Keuchel has allowed since Statcast™ debuted in 2015.