Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. has not allowed a hit through six innings against the San Francisco Giants.
The right-hander retired his first six batters before plunking Austin Slater on the leg to start the third inning. He helped himself out with a nifty defensive play to end that inning when he ran to cover first base on a grounder hit by Mike Yastrzemski, made an off-balance catch and tagged Yastrzemski before falling to the dirt.
He got a lot of weak contact on his offspeed pitches and had six groundouts and struck out two over the next three innings before getting the third out of the sixth on a fly ball to center field by Yastrzemski.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (43) throws to San Francisco Giants' Donovan Solano during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, in Houston. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)
McCullers has thrown 73 pitches. His highest pitch count this season is 92.
The Astros, who are trying to snap a five-game skid, took a 6-0 lead on Martin Maldonado's homer in the sixth.
The performance by McCullers comes after he tied a career high by allowing eight runs in just 3 2/3 innings of a 14-7 loss at Arizona in his last start.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. throws against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, in Houston. (AP PhotoDavid J. Phillip)
The 26-year-old McCullers returned this season after missing last season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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