HOUSTON -- Rookie Austin Pruitt knew he had a couple hundred friends and family at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday night to watch him pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays in the city where he grew up.
But the right-hander refused to even look for them before his work was done.
Then after he completed the bulk of what would be a combined five-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros, the stoic Pruitt cracked a smiled and fixed his eyes on where his personal cheering section was assembled.
"Whenever I got pulled I tried to look at everybody and kind of show everybody a little bit of love," he said.
It was the first loss of the season for Houston ace Dallas Keuchel, who was still trying to regain his form in his second start after missing almost two months with a pinched nerve in his neck.
"He wasn't locating his pitches. He wasn't sharp," manager A.J. Hinch said. "From start to start, you look back at how much time he missed and then the rehab starts and this being his second start, this was a step in the right direction, but his command wasn't sharp."
Logan Morrison hit a two-run homer. He also connected Tuesday night, snapping his season-long 12-game homerless streak.
The AL West-leading Astros, whose powerful offense has taken a hit with All-Stars Carlos Correa and George Springer on the disabled list, went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and were shut out for the second time in a week.
Pruitt (6-2), who grew up in suburban Houston and attended the University of Houston, allowed five hits in a career-high 6 1/3 innings.
"Austin Pruitt was awesome ... I knew he was excited to pitch here and all the talk about it, but to go out and perform like that had to be pretty special for him," manager Kevin Cash said.
Steve Cishek walked one in 1 1/3 innings and Dan Jennings got the last out of the eighth before Alex Colome walked one in the ninth in getting his 32nd save.
Keuchel (9-1) gave up Trevor Plouffe's one-out single in the first and Morrison launched his 28th home run with two outs.
Keuchel allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings.
The lefty ace was better than he was in his previous start, when he lasted just three innings and gave up three runs at Detroit. But he was far from the dominant pitcher he was before his second trip to the disabled list, when he was 9-0 with a 1.67 ERA in 11 starts.
Keuchel had a lot of traffic on the bases early. Consecutive singles by Mallex Smith and Corey Dickerson loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. was a late scratch from the lineup for the second straight game because of a bruised left foot. Souza was injured on Monday night when he fouled a ball off his foot. Cash said he was undergoing more tests to determine if the injury was worse than they initially thought.
Astros: Springer (left quadriceps strain) ran sprints and took batting practice before Wednesday's game, but the team doesn't have a timetable for his return. Springer hasn't played since July 24 because of the injury.
JOINING IN
After warming up in the outfield before the game, Smith joined a local Baptist church children's choir on the field to help perform the national anthem. The kids looked surprised when they noticed Smith was standing right behind them crooning along as they sang with a huge smile on his face.
Smith said it was an impromptu decision to join the group.
"I'd been playing catch and I needed to stand next to somebody so I wouldn't be lonely," he said. "So I thought let me just join this national anthem and represent with the kids out there today."
Smith wouldn't call himself a singer, but that didn't stop him from having a little fun.
"I don't know if I'd get a recording contract, but I like to sing still," he said.
THEY SAID IT
Keuchel on his progress since returning from the disabled list: "I feel better, so that's all that really matters. Command wise is a little iffy, so that needs to get a lot better."
UP NEXT
Rays: Blake Snell (0-6, 4.87 ERA) will start for Tampa Bay in the series finale on Thursday night. Snell looks to snap a 14-start winless streak and get his first win since Sept. 22. He allowed six hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Yankees in his last start.
Astros: Collin McHugh (0-0, 4.22) is scheduled to make his third start of the season for Houston on Thursday. McHugh allowed four hits and one run in six innings of a 5-3 loss to the Tigers in his last start.
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More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
But the right-hander refused to even look for them before his work was done.
Then after he completed the bulk of what would be a combined five-hitter in a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros, the stoic Pruitt cracked a smiled and fixed his eyes on where his personal cheering section was assembled.
"Whenever I got pulled I tried to look at everybody and kind of show everybody a little bit of love," he said.
It was the first loss of the season for Houston ace Dallas Keuchel, who was still trying to regain his form in his second start after missing almost two months with a pinched nerve in his neck.
"He wasn't locating his pitches. He wasn't sharp," manager A.J. Hinch said. "From start to start, you look back at how much time he missed and then the rehab starts and this being his second start, this was a step in the right direction, but his command wasn't sharp."
Logan Morrison hit a two-run homer. He also connected Tuesday night, snapping his season-long 12-game homerless streak.
The AL West-leading Astros, whose powerful offense has taken a hit with All-Stars Carlos Correa and George Springer on the disabled list, went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and were shut out for the second time in a week.
Pruitt (6-2), who grew up in suburban Houston and attended the University of Houston, allowed five hits in a career-high 6 1/3 innings.
"Austin Pruitt was awesome ... I knew he was excited to pitch here and all the talk about it, but to go out and perform like that had to be pretty special for him," manager Kevin Cash said.
Steve Cishek walked one in 1 1/3 innings and Dan Jennings got the last out of the eighth before Alex Colome walked one in the ninth in getting his 32nd save.
Keuchel (9-1) gave up Trevor Plouffe's one-out single in the first and Morrison launched his 28th home run with two outs.
Keuchel allowed seven hits and three runs in five innings.
The lefty ace was better than he was in his previous start, when he lasted just three innings and gave up three runs at Detroit. But he was far from the dominant pitcher he was before his second trip to the disabled list, when he was 9-0 with a 1.67 ERA in 11 starts.
Keuchel had a lot of traffic on the bases early. Consecutive singles by Mallex Smith and Corey Dickerson loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rays: OF Steven Souza Jr. was a late scratch from the lineup for the second straight game because of a bruised left foot. Souza was injured on Monday night when he fouled a ball off his foot. Cash said he was undergoing more tests to determine if the injury was worse than they initially thought.
Astros: Springer (left quadriceps strain) ran sprints and took batting practice before Wednesday's game, but the team doesn't have a timetable for his return. Springer hasn't played since July 24 because of the injury.
JOINING IN
After warming up in the outfield before the game, Smith joined a local Baptist church children's choir on the field to help perform the national anthem. The kids looked surprised when they noticed Smith was standing right behind them crooning along as they sang with a huge smile on his face.
Smith said it was an impromptu decision to join the group.
"I'd been playing catch and I needed to stand next to somebody so I wouldn't be lonely," he said. "So I thought let me just join this national anthem and represent with the kids out there today."
Smith wouldn't call himself a singer, but that didn't stop him from having a little fun.
"I don't know if I'd get a recording contract, but I like to sing still," he said.
THEY SAID IT
Keuchel on his progress since returning from the disabled list: "I feel better, so that's all that really matters. Command wise is a little iffy, so that needs to get a lot better."
UP NEXT
Rays: Blake Snell (0-6, 4.87 ERA) will start for Tampa Bay in the series finale on Thursday night. Snell looks to snap a 14-start winless streak and get his first win since Sept. 22. He allowed six hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to the Yankees in his last start.
Astros: Collin McHugh (0-0, 4.22) is scheduled to make his third start of the season for Houston on Thursday. McHugh allowed four hits and one run in six innings of a 5-3 loss to the Tigers in his last start.
---
More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Tampa Bay - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Dickerson flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Plouffe singled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Longoria grounded out to third, Plouffe to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Morrison homered to center (403 feet), Plouffe scored. | 2 | 0 |
| Ramos grounded out to second. | 2 | 0 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Fisher fouled out to third. | 2 | 0 |
| Altuve flied out to center. | 2 | 0 |
| Reddick grounded out to second. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Hechavarria safe at first on error by shortstop González. | 2 | 0 |
| Miller flied out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| Bourjos grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, Hechavarria out at second. | 2 | 0 |
| Smith reached on infield single to second, Bourjos to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Dickerson reached on infield single to shortstop, Bourjos to third, Smith to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Plouffe popped out to shortstop. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Gurriel singled to center. | 2 | 0 |
| González struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Beltrán struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| McCann flied out to left. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Longoria struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Morrison flied out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| Ramos walked. | 2 | 0 |
| Hechavarria singled to right, Ramos to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Miller singled to right, Ramos scored, Hechavarria to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Bourjos grounded out to third. | 3 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Bregman doubled to deep center. | 3 | 0 |
| Marisnick sacrificed into fielder's choice to pitcher, Bregman to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Fisher struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Altuve grounded into double play, second to first, Marisnick out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Smith struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Dickerson flied out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Plouffe doubled to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Longoria grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Reddick reached on infield single to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Gurriel grounded out to shortstop, Reddick to second. | 3 | 0 |
| González grounded out to shortstop, Reddick to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Beltrán grounded out to second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Dallas Keuchel pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Morrison walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Ramos grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Morrison out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| Hechavarria grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| McCann grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Bregman grounded out to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Marisnick fouled out to first. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Joe Musgrove pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Musgrove relieved Keuchel. | 3 | 0 |
| Miller struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Bourjos flied out to right. | 3 | 0 |
| Smith walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Dickerson singled to center, Smith to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Plouffe struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Fisher reached on infield single to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Altuve popped out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Fisher stole second. | 3 | 0 |
| Reddick walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Gurriel grounded into double play, third to second to first, Reddick out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Joe Musgrove pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Longoria grounded out to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Morrison struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Ramos struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Austin Pruitt pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| González doubled to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Beltrán lined out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Cishek relieved Pruitt. | 3 | 0 |
| McCann walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Bregman grounded into double play, shortstop to first, McCann out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Joe Musgrove pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Hechavarria singled to right. | 3 | 0 |
| Miller grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher, Hechavarria out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| Bourjos grounded out to third, Miller to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Smith lined out to first. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Steve Cishek pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Marisnick flied out to right. | 3 | 0 |
| Fisher struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Altuve safe at second on throwing error by pitcher Cishek. | 3 | 0 |
| Jennings relieved Cishek. | 3 | 0 |
| Gattis hit for Reddick. | 3 | 0 |
| Altuve stole third. | 3 | 0 |
| Gattis fouled out to catcher. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Tampa Bay - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Jordan Jankowski pitching for Houston | TB | HOU |
| Fisher in right field. | 3 | 0 |
| White at first base. | 3 | 0 |
| Gurriel at third base. | 3 | 0 |
| González in left field. | 3 | 0 |
| Bregman at shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Jankowski relieved Musgrove. | 3 | 0 |
| Dickerson lined out to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Duda hit for Plouffe. | 3 | 0 |
| Duda walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Longoria lined out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Morrison struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Alex Colome pitching for Tampa Bay | TB | HOU |
| Duda at first base. | 3 | 0 |
| Colomé relieved Jennings. | 3 | 0 |
| Gurriel flied out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| González walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Beltrán grounded out to shortstop, González to second. | 3 | 0 |
| González to third on wild pitch by Colomé. | 3 | 0 |
| McCann lined out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Erro | ||
| Tampa Bay Rays | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Dickerson LF | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | .300 | .346 | .531 |
| Plouffe 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .211 | .273 | .339 |
a-Duda PH-1B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .375 | .522 | 1.000 |
| Longoria 3B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | .273 | .324 | .463 |
| Morrison DH | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 20 | .248 | .362 | .542 |
| Ramos C | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | .192 | .229 | .346 |
| Hechavarria SS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | .250 | .269 | .280 |
| Miller 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .201 | .343 | .324 |
| Bourjos CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .236 | .281 | .425 |
| Smith RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 | .288 | .357 | .384 |
| Totals | 36 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 142 | |||
| a-walked for T Plouffe in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Plouffe (7, Keuchel) HR: Morrison (28, 1st inning off Keuchel 1 on, 2 Out) RBI: Morrison 2 (66), Miller (25) 2-out RBI: Morrison 2, Miller GIDP: Ramos Rays RISP: 3-8 (Miller 1-1, Dickerson 1-1, Bourjos 0-1, Plouffe 0-2, Morrison 1-1, Smith 0-1, Longoria 0-1) Team LOB: 10 | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Cishek (2, throw) DP: 3 (Miller-Plouffe, Longoria-Miller-Plouffe, Hechavarria-Plouffe). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Minute Maid Park, Houston, TX |
| Attendance | 26,722 (63.5% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:06 |
| Weather | indoors |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Tim Timmons, First Base - James Hoye, Second Base - Ramon DeJesus, Third Base - Jeff Kellogg |
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