ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jose Altuve took off toward home plate hoping to get into a rundown so Houston could have runners at second and third. Things worked out even better than that in a four-run winning rally in the eighth inning.
“We’re at a lull in the action … then all of a sudden, it just happened,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “That was quick.”
Kyle Tucker extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games with a two-run homer that capped Houston’s four-run outburst over only nine pitches, and the AL West-leading Astros beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Altuve and Michael Brantley opened the eighth with consecutive singles before Alex Bregman hit a hard grounder at shortstop Corey Seager, who threw to the plate instead of trying to start a double play. Altuve was caught in the baseline, but scored the first run when rookie third baseman Ezequiel Duran couldn’t handle catcher Sam Huff’s throw.
“Probably,” Texas manager Chris Woodward said, when asked if Seager should have gone for the double play instead.
“He asked me about it and admitted that he probably should have done that. Hindsight’s 20/20. He’s being aggressive. He’s trying to make a play. So it’s hard to fault him for that,” Woodward said. “Unfortunately it didn’t work out for us, but we’ve still got to execute the play and get an out.”
Rangers reliever John King (1-3) retired only one of the five batters he faced. That was an RBI groundout by slugger Yordan Álvarez on the pitch after the botched rundown — and a pitch before Tucker’s 12th homer of the season.
“I’m glad the way we did it and happy that we won the game,” Altuve said.
“Might be the victory of the year,” Baker said. “I can’t remember a more exciting finish than that. Boy,…
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