Minor, Rangers shut out frustrated Astros

Mike Minor twirled seven shutout innings, and the Texas Rangers claimed the rubber match of their three-game series against the Houston Astros with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday in Arlington, Texas. Minor (1-1) allowed five hits and issued two walks while recording seven strikeouts. He became the first Texas pitcher to work six innings this season by inducing a pair of ground-ball double plays and working around leadoff batters reaching base in the first, fifth and sixth innings.

Minor threw 95 pitches, including 58 strikes, and became the first Rangers starter to record a victory. The Astros have dropped five of their past six games behind their scuffling offense.

After stranding 11 baserunners and going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in a 6-4 loss on Tuesday that snapped their nine-game winning streak at Arlington, the Astros didn't muster much traffic against Minor. Houston squandered its best scoring opportunity while trailing 1-0 in the fourth. Carlos Correa doubled and Yuli Gurriel walked with one out, but Tyler White rolled into an inning-ending, 6-3 double play.

Josh Reddick hit into a double play to erase Max Stassi, who reached on an error to open the fifth. Texas was up 3-0 by the time Minor eluded danger in the fifth. The Rangers mustered a two-out rally in the first inning off Astros right-hander Gerrit Cole (0-2) when Nomar Mazara reached on an infield single to second baseman Jose Altuve that scored Elvis Andus from second. Andrus singled and swiped second base to initiate the rally.

With one out in the fourth inning, Hunter Pence delivered an RBI single that scored Joey Gallo before coming around to score when Ronald Guzman followed with an RBI double, extending Texas' lead to 3-0. Cole recovered and retired the final six batters he faced. He allowed three runs on four hits with three walks and nine strikeouts over six innings. Cole threw 105 pitches, 70 strikes.

Mazara added his second home run on the young season in the eighth inning, a solo shot with one out against Astros right-hander Josh James. Shawn Kelley and Jose Leclerc each threw one inning to complete the Rangers' shutout.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch and hitting coach Alex Cintron were ejected in the second inning by plate umpire Ron Kulpa after arguing about balls and strikes. --Field Level Media

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