September 5, 2022 - Game 134
W - Hunter Brown (1-0)
L - Martín Pérez (10-6)
S- Rafael Montero (12)
HR: None
Time of Game: 2:37
Game Recap
After being swept by four games in Boston, the Rangers traveled to Houston to take on the Astros. Monday was Martín Pérez Day as the left-handed ace tried to drop the eight-game skid; the team surfaced entering the day. Before the game, the Rangers made a roster move by optioning Meibrys Viloria to Triple-A Round Rock and recalling Sam Huff. I asked Sam Huff what he took from his time in Round Rock. "Four days a week catching and understanding the everyday physical grind. I have never not gone through it, but doing it again and playing and having fun," Huff told me. "Also, controlling the staff, doing my supports, going in doing lifting when I don't want to, something because my body is tired if it is. Also, it's hot, and mentally you can't check out. You have to be in every pitch, and it showed me a lot what I can do." Texas squared off against Hunter Brown, making his Major League Debut.
The Astros struck first in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Trey Mancini walked, Chas McCormick singled, and Martin Maldonado singled home Mancini to put the Astros up 1-0. It took until the top of the third for Texas to pick up their first baserunner against the rookie Brown. Bubba Thompson singled but was caught stealing to end the inning. Houston had two on in their half of the third, but Yuli Gurriel flew out to right to end that threat. The Rangers had another chance with a leadoff double in the fourth, but Marcus Semien was left stranded at third base. Texas got a walk from Kole Calhoun and a single from Ezequiel Duran, but Thompson struck out, which kept the Rangers scoreless through five innings. "[Hunter] Brown did a nice job," Beasley said. "Give him credit. He had a live fastball, a nice little breaking ball. He attacked and forced us into contact. [Brown] attacked the zone and did what you expect a pitcher to do. Tip your hat to him tonight."
In the eighth the Astros struck two hits against José Leclerc. On a foul out by Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve tagged to the plate. Jonah Heim made a sweeping tag that barely touched Altuve, but enough to where replay didn't overturn the call. Meantime for the Texas offense, the new few innings were similarly quiet. They couldn't muster up anything against the rookie Hunter Brown or any of the Astros bullpen. Ultimately, the Astros pitching staff retired thirteen straight Rangers to end the night, continue the losing streak to nine, and keep a scoreless streak to seventeen consecutive innings. "If we can pitch and defend, we'll be fine," Beasley said. "Offense is not going to be there every night, we know that. You don't expect to get shutout, but if we can pitch and defend I feel good about it. So we'll be alright."
On Monday was the Martín Pérez that fans knew from the season's first few months. Martín was dominant throughout the night against an Astros offense that plagued him for five runs in five innings last week. Pérez went seven innings and allowed one run, six hits, one walk, and five strikeouts. "I was trying to fun out there at first and try not to let them beat me again," Martín Pérez said. "It was good to throw everything I wanted in every spot I wanted to hit. They didn't look comfortable [and] they're one of the best teams in baseball. I think it was a great game and both teams pitched good."
Unfortunately, the one walk for Martín scored, which tagged him for the loss Monday. José Leclerc allowed back-to-back hits to begin the inning. But with some help on a double play and a strikeout, Leclerc escaped the inning without any damage done to finish the Rangers pitching line.
Postgame Notes
The Rangers lost 1-0 for the first time since May 3rd, 2019, vs. the Blue Jays.
In five starts against the Astros, Martín Pérez has an ERA of 3.82. He has a career ERA of 2.06 against the Houston Astros as a Texas Ranger.
Bubba Thompson was caught stealing for the first time in his MLB career. He started his career 10 for his first ten stolen bases. He was caught stealing for the fourth time in sixty-three attempts.
The Rangers have lost thirteen of seventeen this season against the Houston Astros.
Marcus Semien has a seventeen-game on-base streak dating back to August 17th.
Nathaniel Lowe is 4 for his last 26 vs. Astros pitching (.154). In his previous twenty-six at-bats vs. non-Astros pitching, he's 12 for 26 (.462)
Texas has dropped nine of its last fourteen on Labor Day and is 23-37 on the holiday.
The Rangers are shut out for the fourth time this season. All have come on the road (April 24th at OAK, May 9th at NYY, and June 8th at CLE).
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