Dallas Keuchel may have just solidified his bid to start the All-Star game. The Houston Astros ace pitched eight shutout innings and got four runs of support to lift the Astros (46-34) to a 4-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals (44-30) at Minute Maid Park.
Keuchel (W: 10-3, 2.03 ERA) allowed seven hits in his eight innings of work. He did not walk a single batter, and he struck out eight. Two of those hits came in the first inning, but since Kendrys Morales's double bounced over the fence, Lorenzo Cain had to stop at third.
Should he not start the All-Star game, Keuchel will certainly still find himself in Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park on July 14.
Keuchel got offensive support in the bottom of the third from George Springer, who launched a two-run missile off the top of the left-field foul pole. Springer's home run (13) scored Marwin Gonzalez ahead of him and gave the Astros a 2-0 lead.
The Astros also got single runs on a wild pitch in the fourth, scoring Evan Gattis, and an RBI double from Jose Altuve to bring home Springer in the fifth.
Pat Neshek finished the game with a one-hit, one-strikeout ninth, but it was not a save situation.
Danny Duffy (L: 2-4, 5.44) pitched 6 2/3 innings for Kansas City, allowing four earned runs on six hits. He walked two, struck out six, and served up Springer's home run.
The series, which may serve as a preview of this year's American League Championship Series, concludes Wednesday with Edison Volquez (8-4, 3.18) on the mound for Kansas City and Vincent Velasquez (0-0, 3.72) pitching for the Astros. Houston has won the first two games and looks for the sweep of the 2014 American League champions.
The two teams will meet again for three games in Kansas City from July 24-26.