ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Wilmer Font and four relievers combined on a three-hitter and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Houston 3-2 on Friday night to snap the Astros’ 11-game road winning streak, which tied a franchise record.
Font (2-3) allowed one run and one hit over five-plus innings before an injury forced him to leave the game. Diego Castillo, Chaz Roe, Sergio Romo and Jose Alvarado held the Astros in check the rest of the way. Alvarado got the final out for his second save.
A strained right lat caused Font’s early exit.
The Rays improved their record to 8-6 during a stretch of 16 games against Houston, Washington and the New York Yankees.
Alex Bregman homered for the Astros, who lost for just fourth time in 22 games overall. Gerrit Cole (9-2) gave up three runs — one earned — and five hits in six innings to end his seven-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay capitalized on a pair of Houston errors to get three runs in the fourth, snapping a 19-inning scoring drought.
Adeiny Hechavarria was credited with a sacrifice fly that center fielder Jake Marisnick dropped for an error. Two more runs scored with two outs when shortstop Marwin Gonzalez made an errant throw to first on Kevin Kiermaier’s grounder.
Bregman made it 3-2 in the sixth with his homer off Castillo, who replaced Font during the at-bat. Bregman has seven homers and 18 RBIs in his last 14 games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: SS Carlos Correa was officially placed on the 10-day disabled list with back stiffness but could be back in a week. Manager AJ Hinch said Correa saw the team spine specialist and “everything checked out fine.” ... RHP Joe Smith (right elbow soreness) is starting what could be a short rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi.
Rays: RHP Chris Archer (left abdominal strain) will start Tuesday for Class A Charlotte. It hasn’t been determined if he will need a second rehab outing.
STRUGGLING SPRINGER
Astros OF George Springer, mired in a 3-of-40 slide, was out of the lineup. “He’s pretty agitated about how things going for him,” Hinch said. “Kind of a reset. He’ll be fine.” Springer was a pinch-runner in the ninth.
DAREDEVIL
Hinch did a TV interview from an overhanging catwalk at Tropicana Field. Next season he plans to go on the roof of the domed stadium.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Justin Verlander (9-3), who allowed a season-high four earned runs over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss to Toronto Monday, starts Saturday. Tampa Bay will counter with a bullpen day.
