The Houston Astros struggled offensively last night as they were shutout by the Los Angeles Angels by a final score of 4-0 on Wednesday night.  Astros manager Bo Porter heaped praise on both pitchers Wednesday night, saying his team ran into a buzz saw in Angels starter Garrett Richards while acknowledging Houston's starter Jarred Cosart (pictured on the right) perhaps threw the ball as well as he has all season.

"Some nights you've just got to tip your cap to the other guy," Porter said.  "This is one of those nights. He had electric stuff tonight, from the first pitch till he left the game in the eighth, and it was 96, 97 [mph] with a wipe out slider.  I think I looked up there at one point and he had 33 strikes and three balls.  That's what you call dominating stuff."

Offensively, Houston struggled last night as they combined to go just 4-31 from the plate with just three Astros able to earn hits.  They also combine for ten strikeouts as a team in the loss.  Richards threw 80 of 107 pitches for strikes, as he became the first Angels pitcher since Nolan Ryan in 1972 to strike out the side on nine pitches when he did it in the second inning.  The 74.8 percent strike percentage by Richards was the highest of his career.

Houston will wrap up their mid-week series against the Angels tonight with first pitch for that game set for 6:10pm from Minute Maid Park in Houston and you can catch all the action right here on Sports Radio 1340 the FAN and at Sports Radio 1340theFAN.com.

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