Martin Pérez pitched his first shutout since 2014, scattering seven singles as the Rangers beat Houston 3-0 Friday night, ending the Astros’ nine-game home winning streak.
Texas Rangers' Eli White, left, is tagged out by Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado while trying to score during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 20, 2022, in Houston. – When manager Chris Woodward walked out to the mound with two outs and two on in the ninth inning, Texas Rangers starter Martín Pérez wasn’t worried about being taken out.
Pérez struck out five, walked one and threw 108 pitches. The left-hander won his third straight start and has a 1.64 ERA in eight outings this season.“Throw strikes,” Pérez said of what he’s done differently this year. “I’m not 21; I’m not 22. I’m 31, and I’ve been learning a lot from a lot of guys. … Now, I understand how hard it is to hit the ball, so throw your pitches. Throw the pitch where you want, and it’s not easy.
Pérez retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced before Jeremy Peña got Houston’s first hit in the fifth with a two-out single.With two outs in the Houston ninth, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker singled. But Pérez got Yuli Gurriel on a flyout to left field to end it. The Rangers snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Astros in Houston, winning for the first time at Minute Maid Park since Sept. 16, 2020.