Rays starter Jake Odorizzi continued to provide the bullpen with plenty of work Saturday, but he again kept his team in the game against Houston.
The result was a win in which he pitched shutout ball for 5 2/3 innings with two hits, three walks and five strikeouts to even his record at 5-5.
Odorizzi cruised through the first three innings, but loaded the bases in the fourth before retiring Hank Conger on a foulout. It was his only jam of the night, but he wasn't totally satisfied.
"I think at some points in the game I got too cute with [my offspeed stuff] and I threw it a little too much and got behind, which caused me to walk guys," Odorizzi told MLB.com. "If I execute a few good pitches there, it's a different story. I just wasn't executing too many of them, but I was able to make good pitches when it counted."
Odorizzi has surrendered three runs or less in seven of his last eight starts and has lowered his ERA to a fine 2.30.