Matt Harrison (1-0, 2.87) vs Dallas Keuchel (3-2, 3.68)
Now THAT is more like it. For the fourth game in a row, and for the seventh time in the last 12 games, the Astros tied their season high with 11 hits. Unlike one night prior, however, Houston also tied their season high of 8 runs tonight, and it was the Rangers who found themselves on the wrong end of a shutout. A complete game shutout, no less, authored against the Dallas Rangers by Dallas Keuchel. 8-0 Houston win, they move to 13-27 overall, and they drop the Rangers back to .500 at 20-20.
On the Mound:
*All Dallas, all night long, and we don't mean the Rangers. For the first time since his second game in the majors, back in 2012, Dallas Keuchel turned in a complete game effort. And for the first time ever in his big league career, that effort was a shutout. Check it out: 9 IP / 7 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 0 BB / 7 K.
At the Plate:
*The only other time this season the Astros had this much offensive output, they also gave up 8 runs in the 7th inning and lost (May 3 v. Seattle). Interestingly, Dallas Keuchel was also on the mound for that one, but tonight was a much happier result for everyone.
*L.J. Hoes got the scoring started with a 2-run homer in the 2nd (his second), later also adding a RBI single to finish 2x4 with 2 R and 3 RBI.
*Carlos Corporan also swung a big stick, going deep on a 3-run bomb in the 5th, for his fourth of the year. Corp ended up 1x4.
*Chris Carter had himself a hot night, going 3x4 with a double and 2 runs scored.
*Jose Altuve finally has his batting average north of .300 again, now at .301 after going 2x5 with a double, a triple, and 2 runs scored.
*George Springer was 1x2 with a RBI single, 3 BB, and 0 K (huzzah!).
*Dexter Fowler also had a RBI single and finished 1x4 with a BB.
*Jesus Guzman had a double and scored a run, ending up 1x3 with a BB and a K.
Turning Point:
Chris Carter led off Houston's half of the 2nd with a single, which L.J. Hoes immediately followed with a home run into the Crawford Boxes. Carlos Corporan grounded out and Jonathan Villar struck out thereafter, but the Astros weren't done yet, as Jose Altuve doubled and George Springer walked, bringing up Dexter Fowler. Fowler singled to center on a 2-1 changeup, driving home Altuve for a 3-0 Houston lead, and both Matt Harrison and the Rangers were done.
Man of the Match:
Kid Keuchy! Also his second straight start in which he never walked a batter.
Goat of the Game:
Matt Dominguez. Snapped his 7-game hitting streak by going 0x5 with 3 K from the cleanup spot.
