HOUSTON (AP) – José Urquidy threw seven dominant innings for his first major league win and Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer, sending the Houston Astros to a 6-1 victory over the skidding Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
Making his third career start, Urquidy (1-0) held the Rangers to two baserunners – a homer by Shin-Soo Choo and an infield single by Hunter Pence. The 24-year-old rookie right-hander from Mexico struck out nine.
Tony Kemp also homered as Houston, the AL West leader, won its fourth straight and handed Texas its sixth consecutive defeat.
Urquidy retired his first nine batters before Choo’s homer to center field in the fourth. Then he set down the next 11 hitters until Pence’s single in the seventh.
Houston put together a two-out rally in the fifth that started with singles from Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez, setting up Gurriel’s homer to left-center. It was Gurriel’s 18th of the season, matching his career high.
Gurriel has 13 home runs in his last 21 games and has gone deep in five straight at Minute Maid Park, matching the ballpark record set in 2006 by Morgan Ensberg.
For a fourth straight game, the Astros scored in the third inning. After hitting three successive homers in Friday night’s 4-3 victory, Houston had three doubles in four at-bats, with Myles Straw, George Springer and Brantley finding the gaps for a 2-0 lead.
Kemp added a solo shot in the sixth to make it 6-1.
Rangers starter Ariel Jurado (5-6) allowed five runs and eight hits while striking out five in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rangers: C Isiah Kiner-Falefa (right middle finger) was activated off the injured list and optioned to Double-A Frisco. . LHP Joe Palumbo will not rejoin the rotation Monday as expected after experiencing ankle tendinitis. “That hurt a little bit because I was looking forward to seeing Joe,” manager Chris Woodward said. “Not that he won’t be back in a week or two at the max I guess.”
Astros: SS Carlos Correa (ribs) continued his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Round Rock. Correa, on the 60-day injured list, can’t be activated until July 26. . INF Aledmys Díaz (hamstring) continued his rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi, playing first base and left field, manager AJ Hinch said. “We hope it’s over the next couple days as he plays a few more games or even one game or see if he needs more. For him, it’s more of a day-to-day assessment of where he is at and how he’s doing,” Hinch said.
UP NEXT
Rangers: RHP Lance Lynn (12-5, 3.87 ERA) makes his 21st start of the season Sunday in the finale of a three-game series. Lynn is tied for the major league lead in wins.
Astros: RHP Rogelio Armenteros (0-0, 2.00) gets his first career start after throwing four scoreless innings in relief Tuesday against the Angels.
