Rangers Rally For 9-7 Alternate Training Site Victory Over Astros 

ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Texas Rangers scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete a wild 9-7 comeback victory over the Houston Astros in Sunday night’s Alternate Training Site exhibition game at Dell Diamond. Texas pounded out 11 hits, including five doubles and a pair of home runs.

<a href="https://img.mlbstatic.com/milb-images/image/upload/milb/rci79t0fmnjephytieou.pdf" target="blank" >Unofficial statistics from tonight's game are available by clicking here._

Rangers RHP Jharel Cotton picked up the victory after holding the Astros to a run on two hits while striking out three in 2.0 innings of relief. On the losing side, Houston RHP Ralph Garza, Jr. gave up all four eighth inning runs on a total of four hits and a walk in 0.2 frames.

Houston jumped on the board early, scoring three first-inning runs off starter LHP Joe Palumbo. RF Bryan De La Cruz jumped aboard via an error prior to a Ronnie Dawson single. CF Jose Siri later launched a two-out home run to put the visitors up 3-0.

Texas cut into the deficit in the third as 2B Yonny Hernandez reached via an error before LF Delino DeShields singled. An ensuing Leody Taveras double scored both runners to narrow the gap to 3-2.

However, the Astros upped their lead to 6-2 in the fourth. Siri led off the frame with a walk then 3B C.J. Hinojosa followed up with a single. After a Michael Papierski walk, De La Cruz and Dawson teamed up for back-to-back singles, sending all three runners home in the process.

A two-run sixth inning gave Texas life. SS Anderson Tejeda lined a solo home run to left field to get the bats going. 1B Curtis Terry kept the inning alive with a walk, then RF Elier Hernandez doubled to put two runners in scoring position. A Yonny Hernandez sacrifice fly scored Terry to trim the gap to 6-4. In the seventh, C John Hicks blasted a solo shot of his own to bring the Rangers within one.

After doubles by De Goti and 1B Lorenzo Quintana upped the Astros lead to 7-5 in the top of the eighth, the dramatic Rangers rally began with a Terry single and continued with doubles by Elier Hernandez and Yonny Hernandez, plating a pair of runs to promptly tie the game. A Jason Martin groundout allowed Yonny Hernandez to score the go-ahead run, then C Yohel Pozo added an insurance run with an RBI single that scored DH Khris Davis, who had previously walked and moved to second on an error.

Rangers RHP Luis Ortiz worked around a leadoff single in the top of the ninth inning to preserve the 9-7 victory and earn his first save as a member of the Alternate Training Site roster.

Texas and Houston complete the Alternate Training Site exhibition schedule with a 6:05 p.m. meeting on Monday night at Dell Diamond. Rangers RHP Sam Gaviglio (1-0, 5.11) is scheduled to get the start opposite Astros RHP Brett Conine (0-0, 9.00). Tickets are available now at RRExpress.com/Tickets.

The Express kick off the 2021 season on Thursday, May 6 against the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate) at 7:05 p.m. at Dell Diamond. Single game tickets as well as full season and mini season membership plans are on sale now. For more information about the Express, visit RRExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Subscribe to the E-Train email newsletter and keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!