Keuchel keeps Rangers guessing as Astros tighten West

HOUSTON The Texas Rangers finish the regular-season with seven consecutive games at Globe Life Park, beginning Monday night against the Detroit Tigers.

They are hoping to make some or all of the final four games against the Los Angeles Angels meaningless by clinching the American League West title sooner rather than later.

Texas’ magic number sits at five after losing two of three to the Houston Astros, including 4-2 on Sunday at Minute Maid Park. The Rangers lead the Astros by 2 1/2 games atop the division. The Angels are just three back of the Rangers and a 1/2 game behind the Astros.

The Astros, playing for their postseason lives, received perhaps a Cy Young-clinching performance from ace Dallas Keuchel, who held the Rangers to one first-inning run on two hits in seven innings to win his AL-leading 19th game. Keuchel is 15-0 at home this season, a modern-day record, and finishes the season with a 1.46 ERA and 139 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings at Minute Maid Park.

“We’re exactly where we want to be,” said Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland. “We worked really hard, battled a lot to get where we are right now. We still have seven games left. When you’re playing those meaningful games this late in the season you can’t let up. I think we’ve done a good job so far of not doing that.”

The Rangers struck quickly with a run in the first after Shin-Soo Choo singled and scored on Prince Fielder’s groundout. In the bottom of the inning, Rougned Odor erased Jose Altuve’s lead-off double with a gutsy play to throw Altuve out trying to advance to third on a grounder to second. Starter Martin Perez started a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Keuchel’s command, however, sharpened in the second as homeplate umpire Vic Carapazza’s strike zone widen a tad for both pitchers. Keuchel retired 15 consecutive Rangers between the second and seventh innings, including consecutive strikeouts looking against Fielder and Mike Napoli in the fourth. An infield single by Napoli with one out in the seventh was quickly discarded by Keuchel with a strikeout and foul out. He struck out 10 and threw a season-high 122 pitches, 50 of which came in the first two innings. His 213 strikeouts for the season are the most ever by an Astros left-hander, eclipsing Mike Cuellar’s 1967 record of 203.

“We get to go to our ballpark,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. “Our destiny is right in our own hands. If we take care of business, we’ll be right where we need to be. Our guys still have a lot of energy. They’re still playing hard. They know what’s in front of them and we’re going to continue to compete.”

Perez struggled to shake off a two-out throwing error by shortstop Elvis Andrus in the second inning. The Astros capitalized with a single and walk before Jake Marisnick’s double scored two unearned runs.

“That’s part of the game. I don’t have a problem with that,” said Perez, who struck out six in six innings and allowed just the two unearned runs on five hits and a walk. “I think one pitch in the second pitching was a little bit up. I tried to go down and away, and it stayed up. I was trying to throw a perfect pitch, and I didn’t do it. Finally, I got out of the inning. I need to relax.”

Keuchel was roughed up last week in Arlington, giving up a career-high nine runs in 4 2/3 innings. Sunday’s performance, especially back at home, has been closer to his norm in 2015.

“He’s been doing that all year. Any time he keeps the ball down he’s going to be tough to get a good pitch to hit,” Andrus said. “We’ll turn the page and be ready to go home and play well. We’re still in first place; we’re going home with seven games to go. We’re pretty confident 1/8we’re going3/8 to win and clinch at home.”

Houston, which finishes with six road games at Seattle and Arizona, took a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Chris Carter took Ross Ohlendorf deep. Texas came right back to score a run in the eighth after Rougned Odor led off with a triple and scored on Delino DeShields’ groundout. The Astros, however, scored in the bottom of the inning after scoring on a passed ball that got away from Bobby Wilson.

Despite the tightening of the division race, the Rangers are in the driver’s seat.

“Teams want to catch up to us, and it’s up to us to keep the distance,” said Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, who was 0-for-3 Sunday. “When you play in September that’s exactly where you want to be. It’s a great feeling.”

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