Martin Perez scattered eight hits in a complete-game shutout and Kole Calhoun homered as the visiting Texas Rangers finally solved the Houston Astros in a 3-0 win on Friday.
Perez and Calhoun helped the Rangers even the four-game series at one win apiece and snapped an 11-game road losing streak to Houston. The Astros lost for the first time in 10 games at home.
Perez (3-2) earned his third straight win and lowered his ERA to 1.64. He struck out five, walked just one and was helped by three double plays that snuffed out Houston chances in the first, fourth and seventh innings.
It was the Rangers’ first complete game this season and only the fifth in Major League Baseball in 2022. Perez now has four complete games in his career; Friday’s effort was his first since 2014.
It was not without late drama. Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker both singled for Houston with two out in the ninth before Yuli Gurriel flied out to left field.
Texas has won five of its past six games.
Calhoun ripped a two-out solo opposite-field home run to left-center field in the fourth inning to stake the Rangers to a 1-0 lead. Calhoun has five homers in his past six games.
Houston managed just two hits through the first five innings. The Astros put two on with no outs in the seventh on singles by Bregman and Tucker, but Perez struck out Gurriel and coaxed a double-play grounder from Pena to repel the threat.
Texas added to its lead in the eighth off Astros reliever Rafael Montero. Mitch Garver singled, Nathaniel Lowe walked and Garver scored on a throwing error by Montero on a bunt by Eli White. Lowe then came across on a two-out single by Marcus Semien that made it 3-0.
Cristian Javier (2-2) started for the Astros and took the loss despite surrendering only one run on three hits and a walk while striking out nine in six innings.
–Field Level Media
