Astros shut out Rangers as Arrighetti flirts with no-hitter

At Houston's Daikin Park, Spencer Arrighetti gave the Astros the kind of night that snaps a ballpark to attention with every pitch. The right-hander took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, and Houston backed him with just enough offense to beat the Texas Rangers 2-0.

That result mattered for an Astros club trying to stack crisp, controlled wins inside its own stadium. Arrighetti set the tone early, worked quickly, attacked the zone, and kept Texas from generating any sustained threat through the first seven innings.

Spencer Arrighetti carries Astros no-hitter bid deep

Arrighetti did not finish the no-hitter, but he came close enough to make every late at-bat feel heavier. Taking a no-hit bid into the eighth inning against a division rival is a statement outing in any month, and it gave Houston exactly what it needed in a low-scoring game.

The Astros did not need a big offensive barrage because their starter controlled the night. A 2-0 game leaves little margin for error, so every out Arrighetti recorded raised the pressure on the Rangers and sharpened the edge for Houston's bullpen and defense behind him.

Astros offense does enough in tight win over Texas

Houston only needed two runs because the pitching held up from the first inning on. In a series against Texas, that kind of game carries extra weight. The Astros kept the Rangers off the board and turned a slim lead into a clean shutout.

Low-scoring wins can reveal plenty about a roster. This one showed Houston could lean on starting pitching, protect a lead, and avoid the inning that flips a game late. For a club chasing consistency, that is a strong formula at home.

Houston gets a division win at home

Beating the Rangers in Houston always lands differently, and doing it behind a near no-hit performance only added to the buzz. Arrighetti's outing gave the Astros one of their sharpest pitching performances of the season and delivered a result that should carry some momentum into the next game.

Houston's next step is simple. Build on the pitching, scratch out enough offense, and try to keep the series pressure on Texas in the next matchup at Daikin Park.

This article is a summary of reporting by News-Times. Read the full story here.