ARLINGTON, Texas (Interstat) — Jack Leiter pitched six solid innings and the Texas Rangers erupted for eight runs in the first inning Tuesday night, defeating the Houston Astros 10-7 at Globe Life Park in front of 28,778 fans. The win evened the three-game series at one game apiece after Houston shut out Texas 9-0 the previous night.

The Rangers struck early and decisively against Houston starter Jason Alexander. After Joc Pederson struck out to open the bottom of the first, Alejandro Osuna walked. Brandon Nimmo singled to right, putting runners at first and second. Josh Jung walked to load the bases. Jake Burger then singled to center, scoring Osuna and Nimmo, and Jung advanced to second. Evan Carter followed with a triple to right field, clearing the bases and scoring Jung and Burger to make it 4-0. Ezequiel Duran doubled sharply to center, driving in Carter and pushing the lead to 5-0. After Justin Foscue flied out, Kyle Higashioka was hit by a pitch. Pederson then erased his earlier strikeout by crushing a three-run home run to right field, scoring Duran and Higashioka and giving Texas an 8-0 advantage. Osuna lined out to end the inning.

The eight-run first inning represented the most significant sequence of the game, as it immediately put Houston in a deep hole from which they could not fully recover despite multiple rallies. Alexander was charged with eight runs on five hits and two walks over just one inning, suffering his first loss of the season. The right-hander fell to 1-1.

Houston began to chip away in the third inning. Brice Matthews singled to left off Leiter. After Cesar Salazar struck out, Jeremy Pena walked. Isaac Paredes grounded out, advancing Matthews to third and Pena to second. Yordan Alvarez then launched his 17th home run of the season to right-center field, a three-run shot that cut the Texas lead to 8-3. Christian Walker flew out to end the inning.

Texas answered in the bottom of the third when Evan Carter led off with his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field that restored the Rangers’ six-run lead at 9-3. The Rangers managed only that run in the inning, as Ezequiel Duran struck out, Justin Foscue flew out and Kyle Higashioka grounded out.

Houston got another run back in the fourth. Taylor Trammell singled to left off Leiter. Cam Smith grounded into a force out, but Braden Shewmake singled to right, sending Smith to third. Matthews walked to load the bases. Salazar was hit by a pitch, forcing in Smith and making the score 9-4. But Leiter escaped further damage when Pena flew out and Paredes popped out.

The game settled into a pitchers’ duel for the next several innings. Leiter allowed only two more hits after the fourth and finished with six innings, surrendering four earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. The right-hander improved to 2-4 on the season.

Houston mounted another threat in the eighth. With left-handed reliever Jalen Beeks on the mound, Alvarez led off with his second home run of the night, a solo shot to right field, his 18th of the season, cutting the deficit to 9-5. Christian Walker grounded out. Jake Meyers struck out. Cam Smith then homered to left-center, his fifth of the season, pulling Houston within three runs at 9-6. Zach Dezenzo doubled to right, but Brice Matthews struck out to end the rally.

Texas added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Josh Jung singled to left off reliever Taylor Clarke. Jake Burger grounded into a force out, erasing Jung at second. Evan Carter singled to right, moving Burger to third. Duran then singled to left, scoring Burger and extending the Texas lead to 10-6. Justin Foscue grounded into a double play to end the inning.

In the ninth, Houston made one last push against Rangers closer Jacob Latz. Nick Allen struck out. Jeremy Pena homered to center, his first of the season, making it 10-7. Isaac Paredes flew out. Yordan Alvarez grounded out to third to end the game. Latz earned his sixth save, working 1 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run on one hit with two strikeouts.

Evan Carter led the Rangers offense, going 3 for 4 with a triple, a home run and three runs batted in. Joc Pederson went 1 for 4 with a three-run homer. Ezequiel Duran was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Jake Burger contributed a two-run single in the first.

For Houston, Yordan Alvarez homered twice, going 2 for 5 with four RBIs. Jeremy Pena also homered in the ninth. Cam Smith went 1 for 3 with a home run. The Astros out-hit the Rangers 8-9 but could not overcome the eight-run first inning.

The loss dropped Houston to 24-32 on the season, while Texas improved to 25-29. The two teams meet again Wednesday night in the series finale.

In other game notes, the time of game was 2 hours and 25 minutes. The attendance was announced as 28,778.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Houston Astros 5, Texas Rangers 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Texas with a 55.00 percent probability to win. Texas had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 17 went under the over/under line of 8.