BASEBALL: Brandon Nimmo boosts Rangers to walk-off win over Astros

Brandon Nimmo delivered a walk-off single after a standout performance, leading the Texas Rangers to a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The win secured a series victory for the Rangers, who took two of three games during the weekend matchup.

Nimmo went 3-for-5, including an RBI triple, as Texas overcame a three-run lead and extended its strong finish before the All-Star break, winning four of its last six games. Kyle Higashioka also contributed with a home run for the Rangers.

The Astros received power from Cam Smith and Jose Altuve, who each hit solo home runs. Smith recorded his 12th homer of the season, while Altuve added his 11th. Yordan Alvarez finished 2-for-3 with two intentional walks.

Texas secured the win in dramatic fashion in the ninth inning. The Rangers opened the frame with three consecutive hits against Houston closer Josh Hader (3-1). Wyatt Langford reached on a single and advanced to second when left fielder Zach Dezenzo mishandled the ball. Josh Jung followed with another base hit, setting up runners at the corners.

Nimmo then delivered the decisive blow, hitting a ground ball through the middle past a drawn-in infield to bring home the winning run.

Jacob Latz (2-1) earned the win after allowing a hit and a walk in the top of the ninth inning. He escaped the threat with help from a double play that kept the game tied heading into the bottom half of the inning.

The Rangers took an early advantage against Astros starter Cristian Javier in the second inning. Nicky Lopez drove in the opening run with a one-out single, while Joc Pederson added two more runs with a hard-hit ball to the right-center field gap that bounced off the wall after Houston center fielder Taylor Trammell nearly made a sliding catch.

Javier finished the outing allowing three runs on four hits over three innings, striking out four and issuing three walks.

Texas starter MacKenzie Gore, pitching on three days' rest, worked four innings and kept the Astros' offense in check. The left-hander retired 10 of the final 11 batters he faced, with Altuve's two-out home run in the fourth inning accounting for Houston's only damage during that stretch.

Nimmo's RBI triple in the fifth inning restored Texas' three-run advantage at 4-1, but Houston quickly erased the deficit. The Astros rallied in the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out before Jeremy Pena's sacrifice fly cut the gap. After Alvarez was intentionally walked, Isaac Paredes delivered a two-run single up the middle to tie the game.

Smith gave Houston a 5-4 lead in the eighth inning with his home run off Ben Peoples, but Higashioka answered in the following half-inning with a game-tying homer against Bryan King, setting up Nimmo's late-game heroics.

The Rangers will enter the All-Star break with momentum after a hard-fought series victory over their division rivals. -Field Level Media/Reuters