Peter Lambert carried a shutout into the sixth inning while Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes clubbed home runs as the Houston Astros claimed the rubber match of a three-game home series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 2-0 victory on Sunday.
Lambert (7-5) rebounded from his first loss in seven starts by retiring the Rays in order in the first, third and fourth innings. He stranded a pair of baserunners in the second and closed the fifth with Ben Williamson on third base to protect a one-run lead.
Walker supplied the Astros with that margin with his 20th homer leading off the fourth. Walker popped a first-pitch fastball from Rays right-hander Mason Englert (1-1) the opposite way to right field, a 351-foot shot that gave Walker 20 home runs for a fifth consecutive season.
Englert was recalled from Triple-A Durham to make his second start and 13th appearance of the season. He excelled in the spot start by working around a pair of errors in the first and stranding two runners in the third.
After Walker spotted the Astros a 1-0 lead, Englert retired five consecutive batters and stranded Altuve on first in the fifth by inducing a flyout from Yordan Alvarez. But Paredes opened the sixth with his 12th home run, a 401-foot drive to left-center field off a 1-0 changeup.
Englert recorded back-to-back strikeouts of Walker and LaMonte Wade Jr. before departing after Cam Smith stroked a single to center. Englert set career highs for innings pitched (5 2/3), strikeouts (nine) and pitches (101). He allowed two runs on five hits and one walk.
Three left-handed Astros relievers completed the combined four-hit shutout. Steven Okert recorded the final out of the sixth with Jonathan Aranda on third before retiring the Rays in order in the seventh. Bryan King and closer Josh Hader stranded one baserunner each, with Hader earning his ninth save.
The Rays finished 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
