Keuchel allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five over eight-plus innings in Friday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Angels.
Keuchel pitched much better than his line suggests. Through eight innings, the Astros ace had allowed two runs and four hits, and much of that was high-intensity work as Houston managed just two hits and was held to one run through six innings. With Keuchel's pitch count at 95 and the Astros leading 6-2, manager A.J. Hinch sent him out for the bottom of the ninth. When the left-hander allowed three straight hits to start the inning, Hinch brought in closer Ken Giles to shut down the rally, but he allowed three more hits and the Angels forced extra innings, negating what would have been Keuchel's sixth win of the season. Despite the number of runs allowed, it was another stellar performance out of Keuchel, whose ERA rose to 1.88. His next turn in the rotation comes next Thursday in New York to face the Yankees, but with a day off coming Monday, the Astros could keep him on a five-day routine and have him pitch the series finale against the Braves on Wednesday.