Perez, Calhoun top Mets
In his 11th major league season, Martin Perez is making a strong pitch for his first All-Star selection this month.
Perez won his seventh straight decision, Kole Calhoun hit two of Texas’ four home runs and the Rangers beat the New York Mets 7-3 on Saturday.
“Good team win all the way around,” Calhoun said after breaking out of a slump.
Calhoun smacked a three-run shot off spot starter Trevor Williams in the second inning and third-year catcher Jonah Heim followed with his careerhigh 11th homer to give the Rangers a 4-2 lead. Both drives reached the front of the second deck in right field, giving Texas its fifth set of back-to-back home runs this season.
Starling Marte launched an early two-run homer and Eduardo Escobar also went deep against Perez (7-2), who had given up only two long balls in 15 starts covering 931⁄3 innings coming in.
“He’s been huge for us all season. He’s worked deep into games. He works quick, keeps the defense involved, and has definitely stopped the bleeding from time to time this year,” Calhoun said. “He’s pitched in some tight ones, so it’s nice to get him a little breathing room.”
With two on in the fifth, Perez got major league RBI leader Pete Alonso to ground into an inning-ending double play started nicely by shortstop Corey Seager.
The 31-year-old permitted seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 62⁄3 innings. He is 7-0 in his last 11 starts, and his 2.34 ERA ranks among the American League leaders.
“My big thing is, I don’t want them to use the bullpen when I pitch. I’m just trying to go deep,” Perez said. “Today was perfect.”
After losing his first two starts this season, Perez is unbeaten in his last 14 — a career best. His seven-game winning streak matches a career high set in 2017, and Texas has won 11 of his past 12 outings.
Quite a jump for a veteran who began the day with a 69-71 career record and 4.52 ERA.
Calhoun, who struck out all four times up in Friday’s loss, sent an opposite-field solo shot to left in the fourth for his ninth career multi-homer game and second this year. He batted just .181 in his previous 24 games.
Seager added an RBI single for Texas in the eighth, and Leody Taveras homered off Tommy Hunter in the ninth.
Williams (1-5) went 32⁄3 innings, allowing five runs and five hits in his seventh start of the year. He filled in a day after Chris Bassitt was scratched and placed on the injured list, with Mets manager Buck Showalter hinting the right-hander was dealing with COVID -19.
New York lost for the fourth time in five games and its lead in the NL East was shaved to 21⁄2 games over Atlanta — the smallest its been since April 30. The Mets were up by 101⁄2 games on June 1.
Trainer’s room
Mets: RHP Jacob deGrom is scheduled to throw about 25 pitches and two innings Sunday night in his first minor league rehab start for Class A St. Lucie. … RHP Trevor May (right triceps inflammation) threw off a mound and could make a minor league rehab appearance soon.