Alvarez's back-to-back homers lift Astros over Rangers 4-3

Yordan Alvarez homered twice for the second consecutive game, powering the Houston Astros to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night in Arlington. The slugger’s tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning proved decisive as Houston won for the fifth time in its last six games.

Alvarez broke a 2-2 deadlock by crushing a 3-0 slider from reliever Tyler Alexander 448 feet to deep right-center field to lead off the eighth. The Astros added a crucial insurance run later in the inning when Christian Walker scored from first base on a throwing error by Alexander following a sacrifice bunt attempt by Taylor Trammell. That run became vital when Texas’s Joc Pederson hit his second solo homer of the night in the bottom of the frame, pulling the Rangers within one.

The win was anchored by a strong start from Houston right-hander Mike Burrows, who improved to 3-6. He matched his longest outing of the season, pitching seven innings and allowing two runs on five hits while striking out six. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos retired the final five batters, three via strikeout, to secure his fourth save.

For Alvarez, the multi-homer game marked the first time in his eight major league...