All-Star slugger Adolis Garcia tied the Rangers' single-season rookie record with his 30th homer, one of three long balls allowed by Zack Greinke in his return after testing positive for COVID-19 as last-place Texas beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 8-1 on Tuesday night.
Rangers starter Jordan Lyles (9-11) struck out seven, walked one and hit one while allowing only three singles over seven scoreless innings.
A night after winning 15-1 in the opener of the four-game series, the Astros didn't score until an RBI single by Carlos Correa in the ninth off Josh Sborz.
Greinke (11-6) allowed eight runs on five hits and three walks while pitching into the sixth inning of his first start in 16 days. His last game had also been a road loss against the Rangers on Aug. 29, two days before the 37-year-old right-hander went on COVID-19 injury list.
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Nathaniel Lowe hit a two-run homer that went 440 feet in the first inning to put the Rangers ahead to stay. DJ Peters chased Greinke when he lined a three-run shot 421 feet into the Astros bullpen in left-center, making it 8-0 with no outs in the sixth.
Garcia hit a 438-foot drive for his first homer in 13 games, a two-run shot off the batter's eye in center field for a 4-0 lead in the third. The 28-year-old Cuban, who also added two doubles, had last gone deep off an Astros reliever Aug. 29, in the last start by Greinke.
Pete Incaviglia hit 30 homers during his rookie season in 1986. With 18 games remaining, Garcia also has 81 RBIs, seven off the Rangers' rookie record also held by Incaviglia.
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The 28 homers allowed this season by Greinke match his career high. He has lost three in a row, the only time in his 28 starts this season losing consecutive outings. Houston has lost six of his last seven starts overall.
Lyles had given up nine runs in 10 1/3 innings in his other two starts this year against Houston, the team he began his big league career with from 2011-13. The right-hander pitched at least seven scoreless innings for the fourth time in his 179 career starts.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: RHP Jake Odorizzi was put on the 10-day injured list with right foot soreness after getting hurt covering first base in the second inning of the series opener Monday night. Greinke took that roster spot. … LF Michael Brantley, whose .315 batting average is among the AL leaders, missed his third game in a row with right knee discomfort. Manager Dusty Baker indicated that the earliest Brantley might return would be as DH on Friday.
Rangers: 3B Brock Holt and RHP Drew Anderson were activated from the COVID-19 injury list. RHP Nick Snyder (right shoulder fatigue) and INF/OF Eli White (right elbow strain) transferred from the 10-day to 60-day IL to clear spots on the 40-man roster. … OF Willie Calhoun (left forearm) could rejoin the team as soon as Wednesday. He has missed 67 games since late June.
UP NEXT
Both scheduled starters Wednesday will be in only their third games since extended stays on the injured list. Astros RHP Jose Urquidy (6-3, 3.51 ERA) missed two months for the Astros because of right shoulder discomfort. RHP Kohei Arihara (2-3, 5.89) missed 97 for the Rangers after right shoulder surgery to repair an aneurysm.
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