ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Joc Pederson broke a tie with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Wyatt Langford hit a solo shot in a two-run seventh and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 5-1 on Saturday night.
Tyler Mahle (5-1) allowed the one run over six innings, keeping his ERA at 1.47 — ranking third in the AL.
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Houston Astros' Jose Altuve celebrates a hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Tyler Mahle pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson celebrates a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
The Rangers have taken two of the first three games of the four-game series.
Pederson, hitting .123 with four RBI to that point as Texas’ primary DH this season, followed Marcus Semien’s one-out single off Ronel Blanco (3-4) with a drive to right-center for his second homer of the season.
Langford’s homer off Bennett Sousa immediately followed Josh Smith’s sacrifice fly that scored Sam Haggerty. Haggerty led off with a walk and was picked off first base, but he reached third when first baseman Christian Walker threw low to second base.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead four batters in when Walker hit a 3-2 fastball for an opposite-field double to score Isaac Paredes.
Texas tied it in the third when Langford singled home Kyle Higashioka, who walked and reached third on Haggerty’s ground-rule double.
The Astros left seven runners on base and were 0 for 4 hitting with runners in scoring position.
Haggerty was a late replacement in Texas’ lineup after Evan Carter was scratched with right quadriceps tightness.
Three Rangers starters rank in the AL’s 10 top in ERA, Mahle joined by Nathan Eovaldi (fourth at 1.51) and Jacob deGrom (10th at 2.29).
Astros LHP Framber Valdez (2-4, 3.54 ERA) was set to face Rangers rookie RHP Jack Leiter (3-2, 4.34) on Sunday in the series finale.
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Houston Astros' Jose Altuve celebrates a hit during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Houston Astros' Ronel Blanco pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Tyler Mahle pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Wyatt Langford hits a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson celebrates a home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
Anti-ICE protesters gathered nationwide to decry the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis and the shooting of two people in Portland, Oregon.
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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In a story published Jan. 10, 2026, about anti-ICE protests, The Associated Press erroneously identified the two people shot in Oregon by federal agents as protesters. It was updated on Jan. 11, 2026. Portland Police Chief Bob Day said that the two people shot had “some nexus” to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang.
Protesters gather during a demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations and U.S. attacks on Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jill Connelly)
Protesters gather during a demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations and U.S. attacks on Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jill Connelly)
A protester gestures during a demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations and U.S. attacks on Venezuela, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jill Connelly)
Protesters gather during a rally for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier in the week, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People protest outside the Tesla showroom against immigration enforcement and U.S. oil interests, in San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A woman holds a sign depicting an image of a weeping statue of liberty during a protest outside the Tesla showroom against immigration enforcement and U.S. oil interests, in San Francisco, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
People gather around a makeshift memorial honoring Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer, near the site of the shooting in Minneapolis, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A sign for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier in the week, is seen on the ground alongside candles as people gather outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
A protester yells at a Portland police officer outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
A protester holds up a sign outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
People march to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in honor of victims of ICE shootings Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
An American flag burns outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)
Minnesota State Patrol officers are seen during a protest and noise demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations in the city, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Two people sit in the street with their hands up in front of Minnesota State Patrol during a protest and noise demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations in the city, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Minnesota State Patrol officers are seen during a protest and noise demonstration calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement operations in the city, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Demonstrators march outside the White House in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Demonstrators protest outside the White House in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Demonstrators protest outside the White House in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Protesters gather during a rally for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer earlier in the week, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People gather during a protest on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 in downtown Durham, NC. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)
Demonstrators protest outside the White House in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Rep. Kelly Morrison D-Minn., center, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., second from the right, and Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., far right, at the Bishop Whipple Federal Building, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray)
