Houston Astros at Texas Rangers

Hunter Brown outduels Jacob deGrom as Astros rout Rangers 11-0

The Astros (78-65) lead the AL West by 3 1/2 games over Seattle. The Rangers (73-70) are 1 1/2 games behind the Mariners, who hold the league’s final wild card.

Hunter (11-7) threw 107 pitches to match his major league high, allowing four hits — all singles — and three walks while striking out eight. His 2.25 ERA is second in the American League to the 2.10 of Detroit’s Tarik Skubal.

DeGrom (11-7) allowed three runs in 5 1/3 innings, his ERA rising to 2.78 – fourth in the AL. Texas’ lone All-Star selection has won one of his last seven starts.

DeGrom beat Brown 1-0 in their previous meeting on May 15, each pitching eight innings.

Walker homered in the third inning after previously going 0 for 13 with seven strikeouts against the two-time Cy Young winner. Alvarez’s homer in the fifth was his third in 11 games after missing 100 games because of a fractured right hand.

Walker added an RBI double and Alvarez an RBI single as Houston scored three in the eighth and five in the ninth.

Key moment Brown escaped a bases-loaded jam with one out in the second inning throwing 29 pitches. He struck out Ezequiel Duran and retired Josh Smith on a flyout.

Key stat Texas went 0 for 9 batting with runners in scoring position after going 1 for 14 Friday, the one being Dustin Harris’ walk-off single in the 12th inning.

Up next The Astros scratched RHP Luis Garcia to start Sunday's series finale in favor of LHP Framber Valdez (12-8, 3.40 ERA). He'll face Rangers LHP Patrick Corbin (7-9, 4.48).

How can I watch Houston Astros vs. Texas Rangers?

• TV Channel: Astros at Rangers 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on FOX.
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