Yainer Diaz powers the Astros past the Rangers 11-2, pushing Houston into first

By: Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press Posted: 10:27 PM CDT Friday, Jul. 31, 2026

HOUSTON (AP) — Yainer Diaz homered and tied a career high with four hits and Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker also went deep to lead the Houston Astros to an 11-2 rout of the Texas Rangers Friday night that put them in first place in the AL West.

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Jeremy Peña had three RBIs and Yordan Alvarez added two as the Astros tied a season high with 18 hits for their ninth win in 10 games to move a half-game ahead of Texas atop the division.

There were runners on first and third with one out in the second when LaMonte Wade Jr. doubled to make it 1-0. Nathan Eovaldi (10-9) plunked Peña on the arm to load the bases with two outs.

Houston Astros' Cam Smith celebrates after hitting a triple against the Texas Rangers during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 31, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Alvarez followed with a single on a grounder to left field to score two and push the lead to 3-0.

Cam Smith tripled with two outs in the fourth before Peña extended his hit streak to 12 games with a single that made it 4-0.

Paredes and Walker hit back-to-back home runs off Eovaldi to open the fifth inning and leave Houston up 6-0.

Joc Pederson homered and Corey Seager doubled and had two hits for the Rangers in his return after missing 23 games with inflammation in his lower back as they dropped a third straight.

Pederson’s home run to right-center field cut the lead to 6-1 in the sixth. Evan Carter hit an RBI single with two outs in the sixth to make it 6-2.

Diaz’s solo homer was the first of four runs Houston scored with two outs in the seventh that pushed the lead to 10-2.

Houston starter Hunter Brown (3-1) yielded six hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings.