Astros 4, Yankees 0
HOUSTON -- Left-hander Dallas Keuchel pitched his second shutout of the season and the third of his career, tossing a six-hitter in the Houston Astros' 4-0 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night at Minute Maid Park.
Keuchel (9-3) struck out a career-high 12 and walked just one. He retired 15 consecutive batters before Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez singled with two outs in the ninth. Keuchel followed with a four-pitch walk to first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Following a mound visit from Astros manager A.J. Hinch, Keuchel surrendered a single to right fielder Carlos Beltran that loaded the bases, but he got left fielder Jose Pirela to ground into a game-ending fielder's choice. With his final pitch, Keuchel set a season high of 116.
Keuchel matched his career high of 11 strikeouts by striking out the side in the sixth, ending that inning with his third whiff of Rodriguez in as many plate appearances.
After allowing no earned runs in three of his first four starts this season, Keuchel wavered a bit in May by surrendering at least four earned runs in three outings. He closed that month with a four-hit shutout of the Chicago White Sox on May 30, but he followed by allowing 12 earned runs over four starts this month entering Thursday.
The Astros (43-32) scored three runs off Yankees starter Adam Warren (5-5) in the right-hander's 5 2/3 innings. Designated hitter Evan Gattis added an insurance tally with an RBI double in the eighth, scoring second baseman Jose Altuve, who finished 3-for-4 with three runs and two steals.
Houston needed a two-out, opposite-field double from left fielder Preston Tucker in the second inning to scratch across its first run against Warren. Center fielder Colby Rasmus scored to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.
The Astros again scored with two outs in the fourth. Second baseman Jose Altuve doubled to lead off the frame, reached third on an error by Yankees shortstop Stephen Drew, and scored when Rasmus delivered a sacrifice fly to right field.
With two outs in the sixth, the Astros worked their magic again.
With Altuve on third following a single, a stolen base and a throwing error by catcher John Ryan Murphy, Gattis delivered an RBI single to center to push Houston's lead to 3-0.
NOTES: Astros 1B Chris Carter was not in the starting lineup for just the fifth time this season. Carter, who was hit by a pitch in the foot Tuesday, completed the Astros' eight-game road trip batting .182 (6-for-33) with one home run and four RBIs. ... With Yankees RHP Ivan Nova fresh off his season debut, manager Joe Girardi addressed a pending decision on paring down his rotation. The Yankees presently have six healthy starters, with Girardi noting that a decision might come at the close of their current seven-game road trip. The Yankees also have a pair of off days sandwiched around their three-game home series against the Tampa Bay Rays in early July. ... Astros RHP Scott Feldman threw off a bullpen mound Thursday, and he continues to progress following surgery to repair a torn right medial meniscus. Feldman has been on the disabled list since May 27.