Two out of three. That’s what the Rangers needed to do. Just go into Houston, beat them two out of three. Show them they no longer have the Rangers to push around anymore.

It was a pitcher’s duel through six innings. The Rangers took advantage of an Astros error in the top of the seventh to load the bases with no outs. Then Framber Valdez, their ace, walked Jonah Heim to bring in the first run. Robbie Grossman snapped an 0-for-18 skid with a single to score a second run. Then, with two outs, Marcus Semien turned an 0-2 pitch into a game-breaking grand slam, putting the Rangers up 6-0 and breaking the Astros hearts.

The Rangers scored three more in the eighth to win 9-1 and keep Houston under .500.

Little by little, Texas has to break Houston’s swagger, remove that cloak of invincibility, and beating them two out of three in in front of their hometown fans is a huge start to chipping away the Astros mystique. 

And it’s just plain fun to break their little hearts. 

*****