Perez throws 1st shutout since 2014, Texas blanks Astros 3-0

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 20: Aledmys Diaz #16 of the Houston Astros tagged out at second by Marcus Semien #2 of the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park on May 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Martin Perez pitched his first shutout since 2014, scattering seven singles as the Texas Rangers beat Houston 3-0 Friday night, ending the Astros' nine-game home winning streak.

It was the first complete-game shutout for Texas since Kyle Gibson beat the Astros 1-0 on Sept. 16, 2020. 

Perez (3-2) struck out five, walked one and threw 108 pitches. The 31-year-old lefty won his third straight start and has a 1.64 ERA in eight outings this season.

Perez last threw a shutout on April 23, 2014, against Oakland. He spent his first seven seasons with Texas and later played for Minnesota and Boston before rejoining the Rangers this year.

Perez retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced before Jeremy Pena 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 Perez 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.

Kole Calhoun gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a home run.

The Rangers tacked on two more runs in the eighth. Mitch Garver scored on an errant throw to third by reliever Rafael Montero on a bunt attempt by Eli White. Two batters later, Marcus Semien added an RBI single.

Cristian Javier (2-2) yielded one run on three hits with a career-high tying nine strikeouts in six innings. Javier rebounded nicely after being tagged for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in his last outing against the Nationals on Saturday.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Jake Odorizzi, who was placed on the injured list on Tuesday, played catch prior to Friday's game. Odorizzi was not wearing a boot four days after he injured his lower left leg and fell to the ground.

ROSTER MOVES

The Rangers recalled RHP Rick Snyder from Triple-A Round Rock and optioned RHP Josh Sborz to Round Rock.

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Justin Verlander (5-1, 1.38 ERA) will be looking for his sixth straight victory when he starts Saturday against Texas RHP Jon Gray (1-1, 5.73).