HOUSTON — On Thursday, the parents of Houston rookie starter Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) surprised him with news that they had found last-minute bargain airline tickets from Tulsa to see his next start.
On Saturday, he put on a show for them by pitching a complete game to get his first victory in his second major league start.
J.D Martinez and Jordan Schafer hit consecutive home runs in Houston’s four-run fifth inning to back Keuchel’s performance and help the Astros to an 8-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.
“I know both my parents probably cried a little bit,” Keuchel said.
Keuchel (1-0) allowed 6 hits and struck out 3 with just 1 walk, after allowing 4 hits and 1 run in 5 innings in his major league-debut against the Texas Rangers last week.
“I’m so proud of Dallas being able to come in here and do that,” Houston Manager Brad Mills said. “That’s his second outing and he’s pitched extremely well both outings. He did a good job in Texas, and you can’t say enough about the job he did today.”
It was the first complete game for Houston since June 2011, and the first by an Astros rookie since Taylor Buchholz did it in May 2006. Keuchel was promoted from Class AAA Oklahoma City when Bud Norris went on the disabled list.
Mills said Keuchel’s success is going to make things tricky down the road.
“That’s what you want guys to do. You want to make those decisions difficult,” he said. “When a guy throws your first complete game of the year and throws two real good games, I think you’ve got to kind of wonder a little bit.”
BLUE JAYS 7, MARLINS 1 Edwin Encarnacion hit a tie-breaking home run in the top of the ninth and Colby Rasmus had a grand slam later in the inning, lifting visiting Toronto to a victory over Miami.
PHILLIES 7, RAYS 6 Pinch-hitter Jim Thome hit a home run leading off the bottom of the ninth inning to lift host Philadelphia over Tampa Bay after Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save in 18 chances this season.
PIRATES 4, TIGERS 1 Brad Lincoln allowed 2 hits and 1 run in 6 innings, Andrew McCutchen hit a three-run home run and host Pittsburgh won for the sixth time in seven games with a victory over Detroit.
REDS 6, TWINS 0 Johnny Cueto remained unbeaten in June by pitching seven innings and driving in a pair of runs with a squeeze bunt and a bases-loaded groundout, leading host Cincinnati to a victory over Minnesota.
ROCKIES 11, RANGERS 7 Tyler Colvin and Chris Nelson had consecutive two-out, two-run singles as visiting Colorado beat Texas.
DODGERS 3, ANGELS 1 Chris Capuano (9-2) outdueled Ervin Santana (4-8) by pitching seven innings, leading the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers to a victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
GIANTS 9, ATHLETICS 8 Brandon Belt hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the sixth inning, Buster Posey added a two-run drive in the seventh and visiting San Francisco beat Oakland.
NATIONALS 3, ORIOLES 1 Edwin Jackson took a one-hitter into the seventh inning, Adam LaRoche homered and visiting Washington beat Baltimore.
RED SOX 8, BRAVES 4 Will Middlebrooks had a home run among his three hits and drove in two runs, Franklin Morales (1-1) gave host Boston another decent start in place of Josh Beckett and the Red Sox beat Atlanta.
WHITE SOX 8, BREWERS 6 Dayan Viciedo homered and drove in four runs, Alex Rios delivered a tie-breaking single in the seventh inning and host Chicago rallied to beat Milwaukee.
YANKEES 4, METS 3 Raul Ibanez tied the game with a three-run home run, pinch-hitter Eric Chavez came through with a go-ahead shot moments later and the visiting New York Yankees rallied past the New York Mets.
Saturday’s games
INTERLEAGUE
Toronto 7, Miami 1 St. Louis 8, Kansas City 2 Colorado 11, Texas 7 Houston 8, Cleveland 1 Pittsburgh 4, Detroit 1 Philadelphia 7, Tampa Bay 6 Cincinnati 6, Minnesota 0 Boston 8, Atlanta 4 LA Dodgers 3, LA Angels 1 Chicago White Sox 8, Milwaukee 6 NY Yankees 4, NY Mets 3 San Francisco 9, Oakland 8 Washington 3, Baltimore 1 Seattle at San Diego, (n)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs at Arizona, (n)
Sports, Pages 24 on 06/24/2012