Moreno's go-ahead RBI single in 10th gives D-Backs 4-3 win over Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Gabriel Moreno hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the 10th inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.

Geraldo Perdomo led off the 10th with a sacrifice bunt to move Ildemaro Vargas, who started the inning at second, to third. Moreno followed with his RBI single off Bryan King (2-4) to give Arizona the lead.

Jonathan Loáisiga (7-3) pitched the ninth for the victory, and Brandyn Garcia retired the side in order in the 10th for his fifth save.

Arizona moved back to a half-game lead over the Padres for the third NL wild-card spot. The Astros had their three-game winning streak snapped. They remain three games up on the Rangers in the AL West.

The Diamondbacks cut the lead to 3-2 in the seventh on an RBI double by Lars Nootbaar, and Ketel Marte tied it at three in the eighth with a solo home run to right.

Isaac Paredes hit a two-run single to right in the third and had an RBI single in the fifth.

Arizona cut the lead in half with a sacrifice fly by Perdomo in the fifth.

Houston starter Ethan Pecko surrendered one run on five hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Daulton Varsho helped out Pecko in the fourth, robbing Corbin Carroll of extra bases with a leaping grab against the centerfield fence. Carroll hit one to straight away center, and Varsho timed his jump to catch it above his head against the wall. Pecko tipped his cap to his centerfielder in appreciation.

Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt surrendered three runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.

Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (14-5, 2.59 ERA) looks for his sixth straight road win on Sunday as he starts the series finale opposite RHP Peter Lambert (8-7, 3.66).

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Arizona Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo (2) and Corbin Carroll celebrates the team's win over the Houston Astros in a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt attempts to catch a line drive hit by Houston Astros' Isaac Paredes during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Gabriel Moreno hits a double against the Houston Astros during the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jonathan Aranda hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning to give the Tampa Bay Rays a 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.

Tampa Bay (85-57) has won two straight after losing the opener of the four-game series and has the best record in the American League at 85-57.

The Rangers (70-73) trail Houston by three games in the AL West race and Cleveland and Toronto by two games in the race for the league's final wild card. They're the first team since the 2011 New York Yankees — and the fourth in a 162-game season — to reach September never leading and never trailing by more than three games.

Taylor Walls opened the 10th with a sacrifice bunt off Rangers closer Jacob Latz (3-2), working his second inning, that advanced automatic runner Jorge Mateo to third base. Latz then intentionally walked Yandy Díaz before Aranda homered into the home bullpen beyond right field. It was Latz's first loss since April 10.

Tampa Bay’s Tyler Wells (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the victory.

Junior Caminero hit a solo homer in the first and Richie Palacios added a solo shot in the fifth to give the Rays a 2-0 lead. Caminero’s shot in the first was his AL-leading 38th of the season. Palacios hit his career-high eighth in the fifth; it was his second in two games and third in the last four.

Both Tampa Bay homers were hit off Rangers starter Jacob deGrom, who gave up four hits in six innings while striking out seven and walking one. DeGrom has allowed a major league-high 10 homers in first innings this season. He has a 9.00 ERA in 27 first innings this year and 2.79 ERA after that.

Liam Hicks knocked in Aranda in the eighth on Tampa Bay’s third consecutive two-out single.

Rays starter Drew Rasmussen allowed one run on three hits in seven innings while gunning for his eighth consecutive win.

Joc Pederson hit his team-high 25th homer for Texas in the sixth inning. The Rangers tied the score at 3 in the eighth off Kevin Kelly on Evan Carter’s leadoff homer and Justin Foscue’s liner to left center that got between Chandler Simpson and Cedric Mullins and scored pinch-runner Cam Cauley.

Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (8-10, 4.31 ERA) will start Sunday afternoon against Rays LHP Ian Seymour (9-6, 4.21).

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Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom throws to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Texas Rangers' Joc Pederson rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen throws to the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero follows through on a solo home run swing as Texas Rangers catcher Danny Jansen and umpire Will Little look on in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Tampa Bay Rays' Jonathan Aranda celebrates his three-run home run during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)