Houston Astros Stun MLB with 9th-Inning Comeback, Ignite Playoff Buzz

The Houston Astros close a four-game road set against the rival Texas Rangers tonight, May 28 2026, with first pitch slated for 8:05 p.m. ET at Globe Life Field and national coverage on ESPN Unlimited and MLB.TV. Houston holds a 2-1 edge in the series after a 9-0 shutout on Monday, a 10-7 slugfest loss Tuesday, and a nail-biting 4-3 win Wednesday that snapped Texas’ comeback bid. A victory tonight would give the Astros their second straight series win and pull them within two games of .500. Probable pitchers • Astros: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (6-1, 1.32 ERA) has been baseball’s breakout rookie, leading all qualified starters in ERA while holding opponents to a .204 average. • Rangers: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (5-5, 3.65 ERA) counters with his power four-seamer and splitter combo; he blanked Houston for seven frames back on April 9. What to watch 1. Yordan Alvarez is on a tear, hitting .303 with 18 homers and a .631 SLG; he has taken Eovaldi deep twice in 14 career at-bats. 2. Houston’s bullpen will be without closer Josh Hader (60-day IL, elbow), so look for Ryan Pressly to handle the ninth. 3. Texas shortstop Corey Seager remains sidelined (10-day IL, oblique), thinning a Rangers lineup already averaging just 3.7 runs over its last 10 games. Standings snapshot Despite Wednesday’s win, Houston sits fourth in the tightly packed AL West at 25-32, three games behind first-place Seattle. Texas is third at 25-30, 2.5 games back, making tonight’s contest pivotal for early-season positioning. Key numbers • The Astros have scored 37 runs in their last five games (7.4 per), fueled by a .322 OBP teamwide. • Arrighetti owns a 59 percent ground-ball rate; the Rangers rank 27th in MLB in slugging on grounders. • Houston is 13-18 on the road but 6-2 in Arlington since 2025. How to watch and stream TV: ESPN Unlimited Streaming: MLB.TV (out-of-market), ESPN app (authenticated) Radio: KBME 790 AM (Houston), 105.3 The Fan (Dallas-Fort Worth) Tonight’s finale offers Houston a chance to inch closer in the AL West race and showcase its sensational rookie ace; expect a playoff-type atmosphere as the Lone Star rivals battle under the Globe Life lights.