it still remains to be seen where McLaren wi

HOUSTON -- Martin Perez threw six solid innings for Texas on Friday night. It was one bad inning that cost him and the Rangers.Dallas Keuchel pitched a three-hitter and the Houston Astros beat Texas for just the second time in 11 tries this season, 5-0.Jose Altuve had two hits and drove in two runs as the Astros closed within 5 1/2 games of the AL West-leading Rangers. Houston had lost three in a row overall.Perez (7-8) allowed five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in seven innings. The Astros got to him for four runs in the third.I just think I need to control the ball, Perez said. Sometimes Im trying to throw perfect pitches. Trying to look for the pitch for double plays and when a pitcher tries to throw perfect pitches you dont have a chance. Just need to control the ball and see what happens.It was scoreless when the Astros broke away in the third. Altuve hit an RBI double, Carlos Correa followed with a two-run single before Tyler White had an RBI single.That seems to be the story with Martin when he gets challenged, the inning that gets away from him cant really slow the inning down, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. Left it over the middle of the plate, they were able to get some good contact on him.Perez lost his fourth straight decision. He hasnt won since June 26 against Boston.Gave up four runs, came back and threw four more innings really well, Perez said. Ive been saying I like to compete and the game is long, so you always have to go out there and compete.Keuchel (7-11) allowed a career low in hits while throwing his fourth major league shutout. The AL Cy Young Award winner struck out seven and walked two.A guy like Keuchel that can work both sides of the plate, Banister said. I felt like he was able to go in when he wanted to and then expand. He was moving on the fastball and threw enough sliders to keep us off the velocity. Got us on the ground. Two flyball outs and they were both nice running catches by Springer.Keuchel was coming off one of his worst starts of the season in which he was tagged for seven runs in five innings Sunday at Detroit.Keuchel got off to a shaky start, giving up a double, single and walk in the first inning, along with throwing a wild pitch.After that, he permitted just two more runners before Adrian Beltre doubled in the ninth.We saw the same guy that won the Cy Young last year, Beltre said. He relies on throwing the ball on the corners. Make you chase, keeping the ball down and thats what he tried to do.Evan Gattis had three hits for Houston, which scored as many runs as it had totaled in the previous five games.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: LHP Derek Holland (left shoulder inflammation) started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock. He threw two scoreless innings, with one hit, one walk and two strikeouts on 28 pitches. ... CF Drew Stubbs (toe) continued a rehab assignment Friday with Round Rock. Stubbs entered Friday 7 for 32 in 11 rehab games.UP NEXTRangers: RHP Lucas Harrell (3-2) will make his second start with Texas after coming over from Atlanta in a trade July 27. He allowed three runs in six innings against Kansas City in his first start with Texas on Sunday.Astros: RHP Doug Fister (10-7) will make his 22nd start of the season. He will look to continue the success he had in his last outing Monday when he threw six scoreless innings. Ali Krieger Jersey . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Kate Markgraf Jersey . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. https://www.cheapuswnt.com/972w-sarah-killion-jersey-usa.html . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Cheap USWNT Jerseys . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. Carin Jennings-Gabarra Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play.McLaren are preparing for a tough season-opening weekend in Melbourne and arrive with a number of unknowns, according to racing director Eric Boullier. Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso completed a combined 780 laps over two weeks in Barcelona but the Honda-powered team failed to complete their full pre-season testing programme.McLaren are set to trial their 2016 package in Fridays practice at the Australian GP, and Boullier said: Its been a very long winter, and I know that I can speak on behalf of the whole McLaren-Honda team when I say that we cant wait to go racing again! We are certainly a step ahead of where we were this time last year in terms of preparation. That said, we didnt manage to complete our final configuration and set-up work for the first race, so we go to Melbourne with a number of unknowns. It wont be an easy start to the weekend in that sense, since well need to concentrate on setting the car up for each session and readying the final specification of our package as soon as we get to Albert Park.The results of the MP4-31 from testing seem to point at improved reliability, but it still remains to be seen where McLaren will find themselves in the pecking order.The team endured their worst season in 30 years in 2015 and finished the second pre-season test with a time which was two seconds adrift of Ferraris leading pace. Every race live in 2016 Sky Sports F1 brings you every race live in 2016.dddddddddddd Fast and easy online upgrade - click here. Alonso has vowed not to make any predictions for the first race at Albert Park while Button is hoping to see the new rules for the 2016 season help produce more unpredictable results.This is the first chance for us to compare ourselves on similar set-ups, Button said. Weve been concentrating heavily on our own development and processes, so Im looking forward to seeing where we are on a level playing field. Melbourne will certainly be a challenge, but our package definitely feels like a step forward from last year. There are so many more variables this year - new qualifying format, new tyre regulations, and Australia usually produces unpredictable races, so anything could happen!The first race of the 2016 F1 season, the Australian GP, is exclusively live on Sky Sports F1. The race in Melbourne starts at 5am on Sunday March 20. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. Also See: The Formula 1 gossip column Every race live in 2016: Get Sky F1 ' ' '