Astros 6 - 5 Angels
Final
  for this game

Astros hand Keuchel ball against Angels

May 9, 2015 - 1:45 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Houston Astros hope to get another stellar outing from starter Dallas Keuchel Saturday when they take on the Los Angeles Angels in a road contest at Angel Stadium.

Keuchel will go up against starter Matt Shoemaker of the Angels in the third test of the four-game series.

Keuchel is off to a blistering start this season with a 3-0 record and a league-best 0.80 earned run average. The 27-year-old lefty has sent 30 batters down via strikeout and walked 13 in his 45 innings pitched. His shortest outing this season was a six-inning victory against the Angels he will face Saturday.

In his past two starts, Keuchel has lasted eight innings in each and has only given up one run apiece. He's only allowed more than one run in one game this season, when he surrendered two runs to Texas back on April 12.

In four night starts this season, Keuchel is 2-0 with a 0.30 ERA. He's thrown 30 innings and given up just 12 hits with one earned run.

The Angels send Shoemaker out to the hill for the start Saturday. Shoemaker is 2-2 this season with a 5.40 ERA and 27 strikeouts compared to just six walks. In his last start, Shoemaker was tagged with the loss against Seattle despite a strong showing. He lasted 7 1/3 innings and gave up four hits and three earned runs. He also struck out 10.

Shoemaker has only started once against Houston in his career, but has made three total appearances. He's 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA against the 'Stros, and has allowed six runs on 11 hits.

Friday night's contest was a duel between the two starting pitchers. Jered Weaver and Roberto Hernandez were locked in a heated battle in the eventual 2-0 Angels win.

Weaver tossed a complete-game shutout, allowing just six hits and adding six strikeouts to pick up his first win of the season. Hernandez went 7 2/3 innings for Houston, allowing both runs and six hits.

"That's a terrific outing from Weaver," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "It's tough to go from where Weaver was to a complete game."

C.J. Cron and Carlos Perez drove in the two runs for the Angels in the win - both in the fifth inning. David Freese was the only Los Angeles player to record more than one hit. He also scored the game-winning run on the Cron sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Jose Altuve, who leads the majors with 126 at-bats this season, had three hits for the Astros in the defeat.

The Angels evened the season series at two games apiece with the victory.






Related News