Rangers fall to Astros 5-4 on July 13, 2025, in a walk-off heartbreaker. Kyle Higashioka's 9th-inning homer off Josh Hader wasn't enough to win. Read more.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when you thought they had pulled a rabbit out of the hat, the Texas Rangers found a new way to break hearts in Houston. In a game of dizzying highs and devastating lows, the Rangers battled back to tie it in the ninth and take the lead in the 11th, only to watch the Astros walk it off for a 5-4 victory, dropping Texas to a frustrating 47-49 right before the All-Star break.
The Rangers struck out 19 times, two shy of their club record for an extra-inning game.
The final innings were an absolute emotional rollercoaster. Down to their final out in the ninth, Kyle Higashioka stepped up and did the unthinkable, launching a solo home run off dominant Astros closer Josh Hader to tie the game at 3-3. The blast didn't just save the game; it snapped Hader's perfect streak of 25 consecutive saves. The momentum felt real. In the 11th, Adolis García delivered what looked like the game-winner, a clutch single to score Marcus Semien. But the Astros, as they so often do, found a way. A pair of walks and a sacrifice fly set the stage for Zack Short, who delivered the final dagger with a walk-off single, leaving Rangers fans stunned.
It's a familiar and frustrating script: Jacob deGrom was absolutely electric, and the Rangers couldn't capitalize. The ace carved through the Houston lineup for six innings, allowing just two runs on a pair of solo homers while racking up eight strikeouts. He kept Texas in the game, handing a slim 2-1 deficit over to the bullpen. While the offense eventually woke up, it was too little, too late to reward deGrom for yet another quality start. It's tough to swallow a loss on a day when your best pitcher gives you more than a fighting chance.
This game perfectly encapsulated the 2025 Rangers' offensive identity: moments of clutch power overshadowed by an epidemic of strikeouts. Marcus Semien's eighth-inning homer and Higashioka's ninth-inning miracle were brilliant. But the team also fanned a whopping 19 times, coming dangerously close to the franchise record for an extra-inning game. Framber Valdez alone sat down 10 Rangers on strikes. You simply can't win consistently when you're giving away that many outs, and it ultimately negated the late-game heroics.
As the dust settles on this painful loss, all eyes turn to Sunday's rubber match. The Rangers desperately need a win to avoid a sweep and enter the All-Star break at .500. The good news? They're sending their other ace, Nathan Eovaldi, and his league-leading 1.62 ERA to the mound. It's up to him to be the stopper and give this team something positive to build on for the second half.
