HOUSTON — Although the Astros don’t want to take for granted any part of their schedule, the month of June could realistically be split into two segments: the first half, which was the more challenging; the second, where things seemingly ease up a bit.
The “eased up” part has so far been fruitful. The Astros beat the Rangers on Pride Night on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park, 8-4, sweeping the brief two-game set with their in-state rival. It was Houston’s 12th win in its past 16 games.
It was a stark turnaround from the last time the two teams met in May, in Arlington. The Rangers swept that series, winning two of three on with walk-off homers, both by Adolis García. This time, the Astros reciprocated, first with a walk-off win [via Jose Altuve’s grand slam] in the first game, followed by a less dramatic, more standard victory in the finale that followed the playbook that has carried the team throughout this winning stretch: hit the cover off the ball, while keeping the bullpen miscues to a minimum.
Altuve opened Wednesday’s game the same way he ended it the night before: with a home run. The second baseman’s sixth leadoff homer of the year helped set a Major League record – at no point in history had a player ever hit a walk-off grand slam, only to follow it the next day with a leadoff homer.
The Astros finished with six homers – two by Altuve, two by Chas McCormick and one apiece by Myles Straw and Martín Maldonado.