Colon, 44, flirts with perfect game

HOUSTON — Bartolo Colon carried a perfect game into the eighth inning and Robinson Chirinos drove in all three runs for the Rangers during their 3-1 victory over the Astros in 10 innings Sunday night.

The 44-year-old Colon turned back the clock and dominated the defending World Series champions for seven innings, retiring the first 21 Astros batters in an entertaining pitchers’ duel with Astros ace Justin Verlander.

Colon walked Carlos Correa on a 3-1 pitch to start the eighth before Josh Reddick lined an 0-2 delivery down the right-field line for a double that put runners at second and third.

Fans gave Colon a standing ovation, and he clapped his bare hand softly against the outside of his glove. Two outs later, he was removed with the score 1-1.

A fan favorite all around the majors, the beefy right-hander nicknamed “Big Sexy” is on his ninth team in his last 11 seasons.

Colon, who had been working out of the bullpen, started the game because Doug Fister went on the disabled list last Monday with a strained right hip muscle.

Chirinos homered early for the only hit off Verlander, who struck out 11 over eight innings.

In the 10th, Chirinos hit a two-run double off Hector Rondon (1-1) that short-hopped the wall in straightaway center field.

Keone Kela (2-0) worked a scoreless ninth for the win and Jake Diekman got his first save.

Had Colon completed the perfect game, it would have been the 24th in MLB history. In addition, Colon would have passed Nolan Ryan (44 years, 90 days on May 1, 1991) to become the oldest pitcher to throw a no-hitter by 235 days. Randy Johnson (40 years, 252 days on May 18, 2004) is the oldest player to throw a perfect game.