HOUSTON -- Hunter Pence has three home runs in his last three games on the Rangers’ current road trip, but on Thursday night, he just missed a fourth that would have been just as spectacular as his game-tying grand slam on Wednesday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

This one might have even surpassed that one. This had the potential to be a ninth-inning game-winner against the Astros, but right fielder Josh Reddick took it away.

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Reddick leaped and stretched over the right-field wall to rob Pence of a three-run home run with one out in the ninth inning with a breath-taking play, helping seal a 4-2 Rangers loss at Minute Maid Park.

“I thought it was a homer, for sure,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “It clearly was. A foot higher and we are having a different conversation.”

Pence had already hit a two-run home run down the right-field line in the fourth inning off Astros starter Wade Miley, who allowed just the two runs over six innings.

“Wow,” Pence said. “At the end of the day, you’re going to have an approach. My job is to see the ball and hit it as hard as I can where it’s pitched. This is the big leagues, and he’s one of the best outfielders I’ve ever seen. He’s done that a lot. He’s robbed me of some really good swings. That’s what happens when you’re competing at the highest level.”

The Rangers’ near-rally came against Astros closer Roberto Osuna, who entered the game perfect in eight previous save opportunities. He had also allowed just one run in 15 1/3 innings entering the game.

But Osuna walked Shin-Soo Choo to start the inning, and Elvis Andrus followed with a line drive into the right-center gap. On that one, Reddick tried to make a diving catch and missed, as the ball fell in for a single that put runners at the corners. Osuna then struck out Nomar Mazara, bringing up Pence.

“I was just playing no doubles with good speed on first, tying run on first in Elvis,” Reddick said. “Obviously with Hunter, he went there early in the game, a little bit farther to right-center, so he’s got the power to go that way. [Center fielder George Springer] and I were playing a little deep.”

That might have made the difference when Pence launched his drive to deep right-center field.

“Fortunately, it wasn’t hit high enough,” Reddick said. “I was able to jump up just high enough over the wall to be able to get there. I know it hit my glove and I know I didn’t get it in the webbing; I got it towards the top. I made sure I did the little quick grab and bring it back down before it flopped out of there. I just reached in my glove and it was there. Definitely a surprise, but at the same time, I had a good feeling I could make it.”

Osuna then struck out Joey Gallo and ended a frustrating night for the Rangers. Woodward felt starter Mike Minor pitched well, but the southpaw still took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits over five-plus innings.

Springer hit his 13th home run for Houston off Minor, but the other six hits off the veteran were singles. Rangers reliever Jose Leclerc also walked in a run in the eighth inning. Texas had just three hits on the night and still almost pulled it out.

“It’s frustrating, obviously,” Woodward said. “To see the fight in our guys every night -- [Osuna] hasn’t been touched all year. We almost had three off him. Should have had three off him aside from a great catch. I think it was more frustrating just the way the whole game went, really unlucky.

“I hate to call a team lucky but … I’d like to say they were lucky. They got a lot of weak hits. We couldn’t get anything going offensively, all the calls were going their way, and for Reddick to catch that last ball, just kind of topped it off.”