Burger blasts a homer, drives in 4 as Eovaldi powers the Rangers past the Astros 8-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Jake Burger homered and tied a career high with four RBIs and Nathan Eovaldi pitched seven strong innings to lead the Texas Rangers to an 8-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Kyle Higashioka hit a solo homer in the ninth inning and drove in a season-high three runs as the Rangers got their offense going after managing just one run while losing the first two games of the series.

Eovaldi (5-4) allowed five hits and struck out eight in his return after being scratched from a start on Monday because of left side tightness. Gavin Collyer took over and threw two hitless innings as the Astros were blanked for the third time this season.

The Rangers led by 2 after Burger's home run in the fifth inning before breaking the game open with a five-run seventh inning that made it 7-0.

Houston starter Peter Lambert (2-4) didn't allow a hit until Alejandro Osuna legged out an infield single with one out in the fifth inning. Burger followed with his shot to right field that gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

Joc Pederson walked to open the seventh and moved to third on a double by Ezequiel Duran. Lambert then hit Alejandro Osuna with a pitch to load the bases and end his day.

Lambert was replaced by Cody Bolton and Burger doubled on a line drive to left field to make it 4-0. There was one out in the inning when Higashioka sent two more runs home with a single to center field. Brandon Nimmo's RBI double pushed the lead to 7-0.

Lambert permitted three hits and five runs with six strikeouts in six-plus innings.

Nimmo robbed Yordan Alvarez of a home run in the fourth inning when leaped up and reached into the first row of the seats in right field.

LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 4.50 ERA) will start for the Rangers in the opener of a three-game series at Colorado on Monday night.

RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-1, 9.24) stars for Houston in the first of three games at Minnesota on Monday night.

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Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Texas Rangers second baseman Justin Foscue, top, completes a double play over Houston Astros' Nick Allen (20) during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Texas Rangers' Jake Burger hits a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Texas Rangers' Jake Burger, right, celebrates with Alejandro Osuna (19) after hitting a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Harrison Bader hit a grand slam that capped an eight-run eighth inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the sloppy Athletics 10-1 on Sunday in 25-35 mph winds.

Luis Arraez also homered and finished with three hits for the Giants, who took two of three games in the first series this season between the Northern California rivals.

Adrian Houser (2-4) allowed one run in six innings, pitching around five walks.

Athletics reliever Luis Medina loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth and the Giants leading 2-1. Bader started the rally when he was safe on an error by Zack Gelof at third base — his second of the game.

Rafael Devers hit an RBI single, and another run scored on the play when center fielder Lawrence Butler committed a fielding error. Daniel Susac had an RBI groundout and Jung Hoo Lee singled in a run before Bader’s wind-aided slam to right.

The wind cost Bader a potential grand slam Saturday when his drive was blown in a couple of feet and pushed 20 feet to the right, according to @WeatherApplied. His 346-foot shot Sunday carried 7 feet farther and 18 feet to the right thanks to the stiff breeze, turning it into a home run.

Arraez also took advantage of wind blowing out to right field when he homered for the second time in the series — and this season — for a 1-0 lead against Jeffrey Springs in the third.

Willy Adames reached on a throwing error by Gelof, advanced on a balk and scored on a two-out double by Matt Chapman to make it 2-0 in the fourth.

The Athletics cut it to 2-1 in the fifth on a pop-fly RBI double by Carlos Cortes that Adames lost in the sun at shortstop before it bounced off a diving Chapman's glove.

Nick Kurtz walked three times and extended his on-base streak to 40 games, tied for the third-longest in A's history behind Mark McGwire (62) and Rickey Henderson (46).

Sam Hentges, Keaton Winn and Joel Peguero closed it out for the Giants.

Springs (3-4) allowed two runs — one earned — and five hits in six innings.

Giants LHP Robbie Ray (3-5, 3.04 ERA) starts Monday's series opener in Arizona against RHP Zac Gallen (1-4, 5.02).

Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (2-1, 3.12 ERA) starts Monday on the road opposite Angels RHP Walbert Ureña (1-4, 3.29).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

San Francisco Giants designated hitter Casey Schmitt (10) singles during a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)

San Francisco Giants' Luis Arraez is greeted in the dugout after his home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)

Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs reacts after a balk is called on him during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants Sunday, May 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)

San Francisco Giants' Harrison Bader, front right, is greeted at home plate by Jung Hoo Lee (51) after hitting a grand slam in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)

San Francisco Giants' Harrison Bader hits a grand slam in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics Sunday, May 17, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)