Yordan Alvarez homered again Friday night, powering the Houston Astros to a 9-3 win over the Texas Rangers that evened their series at 1-1.

What happened

Alvarez went deep as Houston pulled away from Texas, backing a lopsided scoring effort that put the game out of reach early. The victory continues a strong recent stretch for the Astros against their division rivals, who they've now beaten three times in their last five meetings, including a 5-1 win back in May.

Why it matters

The win comes just days after Alvarez was voted the American League's starting DH, adding momentum to his All-Star campaign. It also arrives as Houston looks to bolster its rotation ahead of the trade deadline, with the Astros still sitting below .500 at 46-50 despite their recent surge.

By the numbers

Alvarez's home run was his 30th of the season, making him the first Astro to reach that mark before the All-Star break. Houston is averaging 4.5 runs per game on the year. Texas entered Friday at 48-46 and had won two straight games before the loss.

What to watch next

The Astros and Rangers will close out the series next, with the season series between the two clubs still tied at 1-1.