HOUSTON _ Lance Lynn pitched well, but Justin Verlander was masterful.
The Houston Astros ace flummoxed the Texas Rangers' lineup for seven innings, allowing just four base runners, including one hit, to beat the Rangers 3-0 Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
Verlander improved to 6-1 and lowered his ERA to 2.51.
He didn't allow a hit until Asdrubal Cabrera's leadoff single in the fifth. But he quickly erased that small blemish with a strikeout looking and an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. He was briefly in trouble in the fourth after a two-out walk to Hunter Pence. He hit Nomar Mazara to put two on but he got Rougned Odor to fly out to center to end the threat.
Verlander struck out eight and passed Frank Tanana for 22nd all-time with 2,774 career strikeouts.
The Astros scored their three runs on three solo home runs. Jake Marisnick led off the third with a homer to right-center field to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Lynn, however, retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced. He had two outs in the seventh before Yuli Gurriel and Robinson Chirinos connected for back-to-back homers to push the Astros' lead to 3-0. Lynn was charged with three runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out eight.
