ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Mauricio Dubón drove in the go-ahead run with a 10th-inning single, closer Josh Hader worked two scoreless innings and the AL West-leading Houston Astros won their season-high eighth straight game by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Pedro León advanced from second to third on Jeremy Peña’s fly to deep center off Garrett Cleavinger (7-3) starting the 10th. Zach Dezenzo struck out, Jake Meyers and Dubón got Houston’s second hit of the game. The Rays also had two hits.
Hader (5-6) struck out three as Houston ended an 8-1 trip.
Tampa Bay has lost seven of nine and dropped to 59-61.
Houston was hitless until Peña homered for the second straight game, leading off the fifth against Zack Littell.
Littell departed after five innings and 68 pitches. The right-hander, who retired his first 11 batters, struck three and walked two.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco scattered two hits and struck out four in six scoreless innings. He is winless in six starts.
Bryan Abreu walked Taylor Walls, who is hitting .171, starting the eighth. Walls was running on the pitch, preventing a double play on Jose Siri’s grounder. Walls stole third and scored with a head-first slide on Yandy Díaz’s grounder.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck) will make his second and likely final minor league rehab start Thursday night with Double-A Corpus Christi. … OF Kyle Tucker (bruised right shin) hit in a cage and played catch. “Slow progress, but he’s tending in the right direction,” manager Joe Espada said. … RHP Luis García (Tommy John surgery) has not resumed throwing after having a setback.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (5-10, 5.14 ERA) and Chicago White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (6-9, 3.65 ERA) are Friday night’s scheduled starters.
Rays: Ryan Pepiot (6-5, 3.92 ERA) will make his first start since July 14 on Friday night against Arizona. The right-hander has been out with a right knee infection that is thought to have resulted from a spider bite.
