21-23 – Rangers almost get no-hit, lose 2-0 to Houston

HOUSTON, TX - MAY 15: Alejandro Osuna #19 and Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers arrive prior to the game between the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Friday, May 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Michaela Schumacher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The Texas Rangers had one hit but the Houston Astros scored two runs. If you thought perhaps the Rangers’ miraculous ninth inning comeback win on Wednesday evening would help them carry over some momentum to their first matchup against the Astros this season, well, how silly of you.

Instead, tonight’s game nearly proved to be the culmination of the perpetual lurking threat that any night could be the night that the Rangers get no-hit. Usually you have pitchers who you think “tonight could be the night” but the Rangers have a whole lineup. In fact, for a while there, the only thing Texas really made contact with was viral meningitis.

Indeed, someone named Spencer Spaghetti or whatever took a no-hitter into the top of the eighth before Justin Foscue rescued Texas from the indignity of a no-hitter with a one-out single. He was picked off first base moments later to end a rare rally as the Rangers were shut out in the first game of the 2026 edition of the Silver Boot series. The threat, I fear, continues to lurk.

Player of the Game : Jack Leiter was an even harder luck loser than you usually see during a no-hit bid as he allowed just one run via an Isaac Paredes solo home into the quaint formerly-Minute Maid Park short porch in left field. Cole Winn labored through the bottom of the eighth before allowing Houston’s second run to all but put this one to bed. Leiter made one mistake all night and it cost him.