Colby Lewis continues quality start with mastery of Astros
Colby Lewis continues to amaze. The 36-year-old right-hander threw another gem Friday night, keeping the Houston Astros baffled over seven innings, as the Texas Rangers won the series opener 2-1 at Minute Maid Park.
The win snapped a three-game losing streak and kept the Rangers’ mastery of the Astros alive. Texas has won 12 of the past 14 meetings.
It’s Lewis’ eighth quality start in nine games this season, defying even the Rangers’ expectations for their third or fourth starter. He lowered his staff-leading ERA to 2.75
He mixes his pitches very well. He’s got like three different types of sliders. He knows how to pitch. He’s a veteran.
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa
Lewis (3-0) made Prince Fielder’s two-run double in the third hold up over seven innings and Jake Diekman and Sam Dyson, in his first ninth inning as the Rangers’ closer, allowed a run before earning his third save.
Lewis, who won his 100th career game professionally (74 in the majors and 26 in Japan) also showed off his athleticism and toughness. In the sixth, he ran down a lead-off bunt along the first-base line and, with little time to spare, swatted the ball with a closed glove to first baseman Mitch Moreland to get the speedy Tony Kemp.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, probably 11,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said of the difficulty in the play. “Especially for Colby, who’s not really fast. To get over and backhand flip to first base and right to Mitch. That’s as hard as it gets.”
In the seventh, a line drive from Carlos Correa glanced off Lewis’ glove and bounced off the back of his head high over the infield before Rougned Odor made a sliding catch behind second base for the first out. He stayed in the game and finished the seventh, allowing four hits, no walks and striking out six.
“I felt it a little bit,” Lewis said of the line drive. “I turned around and saw the ball in the air and kind of was yelling at myself and yelling at Rougie to catch the ball. I was more pumped up about the out. Stuff comes up and you deal with it and you go about your business.”
That’s what Lewis has done so far in 2016. In his nine starts, he’s pitched at least six innings, including going seven in his past five.
“He does a really good job of pounding the strike zone,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “He throws a lot of first-pitch strikes. He can throw a couple different styles of breaking balls. Never really makes a mistake against us, it doesn’t seem.”
Lewis improved to 10-1 with a 2.39 career ERA against the Astros.
Even his friends and family have remarked that he looks different on the mound this season. Lewis attributes his run to staying with what got him here.
“I feel like I’m a little old school in the aspect of recognizing what makes you good and what makes you a pitcher and stuck around as long as you have,” he said. “You have to pitch with your strengths. I feel like I learned that my first year in Japan.”
It has been a mastery of the strike zone and the ability to throw his slider in multiple locations, Banister said.
“He has a sharp slider and a decent changeup,” Banister said. “There’s no real secret to pitching. If you can move your fastball around, and you throw strikes, and you’re not throwing in the fat part of the plate. He can expand with his slider. The command he has had all year long has been special.”
For Lewis, his success comes down to feeling comfortable on the mound and with the Rangers.
“I just attribute it to being comfortable. I’m here, I want to be here for the next years,” he said before learning of his 100th win. “That’s pretty cool. It’s a milestone. It just means you’ve been around for a while and able to prove yourself. I’ve been given a lot of opportunities and been able to take advantage of it and get the job done.”
Stefan Stevenson: 817-390-7760, @StevensonFWST
Rangers at Astros
6:15 p.m. Saturday, KDFW/4
Rangers at Astros
6:15 p.m. Saturday
TV: KDFW/4
Radio: KRLD/105.3 FM; ESPN/1540 AM (Spanish)
Rangers LHP Cesar Ramos (0-2, 4.32 ERA) vs. Astros RHP Mike Fiers (3-1, 4.63)
This story was originally published May 20, 2016 at 11:20 PM with the headline "Colby Lewis continues quality start with mastery of Astros."