Perez, Rangers Drop One Against Astros 5-0
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HOUSTON (AP) - Martin Perez threw six solid innings for Texas on Friday night. It was one bad inning that cost him and the Rangers.
Dallas Keuchel pitched a three-hitter and the Houston Astros beat Texas for just the second time in 11 tries this season, 5-0.
Jose Altuve had two hits and drove in two runs as the Astros closed within 5½ games of the AL West-leading Rangers. Houston had lost three in a row overall.
Perez (7-8) allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. The Astros got to him for four runs in the third.
"I just think I need to control the ball," Perez said. "Sometimes I'm trying to throw perfect pitches. Trying to look for the pitch for double plays and when a pitcher tries to throw perfect pitches you don't have a chance. Just need to control the ball and see what happens."
It was scoreless when the Astros broke away in the third. Altuve hit an RBI double, Carlos Correa followed with a two-run single before Tyler White had an RBI single.
"That seems to be the story with Martin when he gets challenged, the inning that gets away from him can't really slow the inning down," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "Left it over the middle of the plate, they were able to get some good contact on him."
Perez lost his fourth straight decision. He hasn't won since June 26 against Boston.
"Gave up four runs, came back and threw four more innings really well," Perez said. "I've been saying I like to compete and the game is long, so you always have to go out there and compete."
Keuchel (7-11) allowed a career low in hits while throwing his fourth major league shutout. The AL Cy Young Award winner struck out seven and walked two.
"A guy like Keuchel that can work both sides of the plate," Banister said. "I felt like he was able to go in when he wanted to and then expand. He was moving on the fastball and threw enough sliders to keep us off the velocity. Got us on the ground. Two flyball outs and they were both nice running catches by Springer."
Keuchel was coming off one of his worst starts of the season in which he was tagged for seven runs in five innings Sunday at Detroit.
Keuchel got off to a shaky start, giving up a double, single and walk in the first inning, along with throwing a wild pitch.
After that, he permitted just two more runners before Adrian Beltre doubled in the ninth.
"We saw the same guy that won the Cy Young last year," Beltre said. "He relies on throwing the ball on the corners. Make you chase, keeping the ball down and that's what he tried to do."
Evan Gattis had three hits for Houston, which scored as many runs as it had totaled in the previous five games.
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