Alvarez hits AL-leading 31st homer, Wade has first career grand slam and Astros beat Rangers 9-3

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Yordan Alvarez had another moonshot for his AL-leading 31st home run, LaMonte Wade Jr. hit his first career grand slam and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 9-3 on Saturday night.

The Astros led for good after Alvarez, also the AL leader with 70 RBIs, hit a two-run homer 425 feet to straightaway center in the first inning, a night after a towering 455-foot blast pulled to right in the series opener. The American League All-Star starting designated hitter is one behind National League All-Star DH Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead in homers.

Peter Lambert (8-5) pitched three-hit ball over six innings while striking out seven and walking one. The right-hander, who didn't make the Astros roster out of spring training, is 6-1 with a 2.84 ERA over his last nine starts.

Ezequiel Durán homered twice for the AL West-leading Rangers (48-47). He had a solo shot off Lambert in the fourth, and added a two-run homer in the ninth.

Wade's slam in the second was his 57th career homer and his second in nine games with the Astros (47-50). Christian Vázquez went deep leading off the third to make it 7-0, when they already had eight of their 10 hits.

All three Houston homers came off Texas starter Kumar Rocker (2-8), who struck out six, but walked two and also hit a batter over 5 2/3 innings.

Alvarez, now with 201 career homers, also had a double and walked twice. He has hit .455 (10 of 22) with seven homers and 11 RBIs in six games this season at Globe Life Field.

Houston's Cristian Javier (0-1, 10.22 ERA), who missed nearly three months because of a right shoulder strain, makes his first start since April 8 in the series finale Sunday going into the All-Star break. The Rangers go with MacKenzie Gore (5-8, 4.72), who pitched five innings Wednesday in a loss to the Angels, in place of Jacob deGrom (left glute strain).

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Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kumar Rocker throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez hits a home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Houston Astros' LaMonte Wade Jr. is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a grand slam during the third inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Saturday, July 11, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Carla Gregory was fighting the heat even before watching the World Cup quarterfinal between England and Norway on Saturday.

She carried cold water in one hand. She had an unfolded fan in the other, flapping it with hopes of creating her own little breeze. And the elements seemed to be winning; no matter what she tried, the England fan was still, at best, uncomfortable.

“I can’t imagine playing 90 minutes in it,” said Gregory, who came to the U.S. with her husband from their home in Telford, England to follow their team through the World Cup.

Norway had Harry Kane to worry about. England had Erling Haaland to worry about. And both sides — in what has been a theme for this World Cup — had the weather to worry about. It was 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius) when the teams started warmups Saturday, and with the humidity factored in it felt like 104 F (40 C).

That's a far cry from the seasonable 72 F (22 C) in London or 59 F (15 C) in Lillehammer at that time.

“I think we have trained very lightly,” Norway manager Ståle Solbakken said on the eve of the match. “We haven’t done much hard work. We obviously have tactical sessions, but at a lower tempo and have not trained for long periods.”

In other words, rest and hydration took precedence for Norway — which spent much of the week in South Florida to acclimate. England didn't arrive in the Miami area until later in the week.

“Up until now we’ve played in cool conditions, I would say,” England defender Nico O'Reilly said. “But we’re ready for it.”

After England beat Norway 2-1 to advance to the semifinals, coach Thomas Tuchel said several players were dealing with cramping.

This wasn't England's first trip to South Florida on its World Cup journey. The team arrived in Palm Beach Gardens — about 90 minutes north of Miami Gardens — on June 2 for more than a week of training and to get a feel for the heat and humidity.

England also had to adjust to high temperatures at its Kansas City base camp, and survive Mexico’s altitude to beat the co-host in the round of 16, but hadn't faced anything like the combination of heat and humidity that greeted the teams Saturday.

Tuchel praised his team's ability to overcome adversity and reach the semifinals. He was asked if his squad will physically be able to handle two more matches.

“They have to,” he said. “Now it's just about recovery. ... We will be ready.”

Gracie Fisher is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here.

Fans wait for the beginning of during the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A spectator fan herself before the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

A fan of Norway waits for the beginning of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Norway fans on the stands wait for the start of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Spectators fan themselves before the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Norway and England in Miami Gardens, Fla., Saturday, July 11, 2026. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)