The game was over in the first inning. Texas scored eight runs before Houston recorded an out, building a lead that proved just enough to survive a furious late rally in a 10-7 victory at Globe Life Field.
Evan Carter went 3-for-4 with a triple, home run and three RBI to anchor the Rangers' offensive explosion. Joc Pederson capped the first-inning barrage with a three-run homer, while Jake Burger drove in two runs with a two-run single that opened the scoring.
The Astros made it interesting with a sustained comeback attempt. Yordan Alvarez homered twice, driving in four runs on a 2-for-5 night that included a three-run blast in the third inning and a solo shot in the eighth. Cam Smith and Jeremy Pena also homered in the late innings, cutting the deficit to three runs before Duran's RBI single in the eighth provided crucial insurance.
Jack Leiter allowed 4 runs over 6.0 innings for Texas, while Jason Alexander was tagged for 9 runs in 6.0 innings for Houston. The Astros managed one final threat in the ninth when Pena homered, but could not complete the comeback.
Texas snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 24-29. Houston's four-game winning streak ended as they fell to 24-31. Jake Burger sits two home runs away from 100 career homers, while Brandon Nimmo is two doubles from reaching 200 career doubles.