August 8, 2022 - Game 109
W - José Urquidy (11-4)
L - Martín Pérez (9-3)
S- Ryan Pressly (22)
HR: TEX: Semien (16), Seager (25), García (19); HOU: Díaz (10)
Time of Game: 2:49
Game Recap
The Rangers head to Houston after their first off day since the All-Star break. The club concluded a stretch of eighteen straight games in as many days where the Rangers went 7-11. Tuesday was Martín Pérez day for the Rangers and Rangers fans as Martín tried to continue his dominance against the Houston Astros. The last time Pérez pitched at Minute Maid Park was a complete game shut out on May 20th, which is the only win for the Rangers in Houston since 2020. The Rangers offense faced off against José Urquidy. "[Martín] pitched so good for the first three, it made it look like [he] almost gonna throw a perfect game the way he was throwing," Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. "Threw Altuve a little blooper to start the fourth and pitched around the edges there, got a big double play from Alvarez. That's our best pitcher and they beat our best guy."
Things started with a bang Tuesday as Marcus Semien drove a 3-0 pitch from Urquidy deep to left-center field and put Texas up 1-0 one batter in the game. The Rangers had a chance with two on and one out, but Jonah Heim struck out, and Leody Taveras grounded out. Texas added two more on a Corey Seager two-run home run to the Houston bullpen, extending the lead to 3-0. Then in the fourth, Texas manufactured a run as Josh Smith led off the inning by getting clipped by a pitch. Smith stole second, and Bubba Thompson drove Smith in with a single (Thompson stole second as well). It was Bubba Thompson's first MLB RBI Tuesday. "I thought we were really disciplined to our plan," Woodward said on his offense. "Each guy did their part and move the line throughout the order and we put some great swings on [Urquidy].
While things went well for Texas, it spiraled as Pérez allowed a single and a walk to start the inning. However, Yordan Alvarez hit into a double play, but two more walks led to an Aledmys Díaz grand slam tying the game up at four. Meanwhile, Adolis García drove a ball to the Crawford Boxes in left to give the Rangers the lead again. But, the Astros took their first lead with three hits. Jose Altuve doubled in Jake Myers, and Yuli Gurriel drove in Altuve on a sacrifice fly. Then, Houston added another run on a Kyle Tucker double off the top of the left field wall, putting the Astros up 7-5. The Rangers couldn't get anything going against a well-rested Houston bullpen and the woes vs. Houston continued Tuesday.
Martín Pérez rolled through the first three innings on twenty-three pitches with two strikeouts. Then, however, the tables turned to start in the fourth. Pérez allowed six hits, seven runs, and three walks, all coming in the middle innings. "Kind of uncharacteristic for Martín to walk so many guys, but that's our best pitcher," Woodward said. "He made one mistake to Díaz [and] hit it out of the ballpark." José Leclerc came in the sixth for Pérez and threw two perfect innings for Texas. Leclerc struck out two on twenty pitches Tuesday for the Rangers. Brett Martin allowed a single to Alex Bregman and retired the side in the eighth inning to finish the pitching night.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers are 3-26 in Houston since the start of 2019.
Martín Pérez snapped a streak of nineteen straight starts without a loss. It was the fourth longest in MLB history by a left-hander.
José Urquidy snapped a streak of nine straight quality starts Tuesday. His last non-quality start was June 8th at home against the Mariners.
Urquidy gave up three home runs for the first time since June 11th, 2021, against Minnesota.
Martín Pérez allowed his first career grand slam Tuesday. The seven earned runs are the most allowed in a game since August 31st, 2019, when Martín was a member of the Twins against the Tigers.
Marcus Semien hit his thirteenth career home run leading off a game. He hit four last season with the Blue Jays and was his first this season.
Adolis García hit his ninth home run against the Astros and twenty-fifth RBI. However, it’s García’s second home run and third RBI at Minute Maid Park.
Corey Seager’s twenty-five home runs joins Alex Rodriguez as the only two shortstops in Rangers history with twenty-five home runs. Rodriguez hit twenty-five or more from 2001-2003. Seager’s career-high in home runs in twenty-six.
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