{"id":362255,"date":"2026-07-06T00:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T00:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362255\/"},"modified":"2026-07-06T00:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T00:48:09","slug":"houston-astros-peter-lambert-shuts-down-rays-continues-strong-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/362255\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Astros: Peter Lambert shuts down Rays, continues strong season"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Peter<\/p>\n

Peter Lambert restored order Sunday, putting the clamps on Tampa Bay’s bats a day after the Rays hit three homers in battering Astros pitching.<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Christian Walker celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Christian Walker celebrates after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Christian Walker watches his home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Christian Walker hits a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros center fielder Taylor Trammell catches a fly ball by Tampa Bay Rays’ Jonathan Aranda during the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy D\u00edaz, right, is safe at first base after Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker missed the tag during the eighth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes, center, celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes celebrates after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes runs up the first base line after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros’ Isaac Paredes, left, and Christian Walker celebrate after a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros pitcher Josh Hader throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026 in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2026 in Houston. (AP Photo\/David J. Phillip)<\/p>\n

David J. Phillip\/Associated Press<\/p>\n

Peter Lambert<\/a>\u2019s road to becoming a productive major league starter has taken him from Colorado to Japan and now to Houston.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Lambert threw 5 \u2154 strong innings to help the Houston Astros<\/a> defeat the Tampa Bay Rays<\/a> 2-0 at Daikin Park, in their\u00a0final home game before the All-Star break.<\/p>\n

Lambert threw 90 pitches (60 strikes) and allowed just three hits and one walk. He struck out six batters before giving way to left-hander Steven Okert with two outs in the sixth inning. As Lambert walked off the mound, the crowd responded with a standing ovation. Okert, Bryan King and Josh Hader finished the combined four-hit shutout.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Astros manager Joe Espada said Lambert once again gave the club exactly what it needed from its starter.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Lambert) competes, he\u2019s tough, he throws strikes, he mixes very well,\u201d Espada said. \u201cHe\u2019s got the repertoire to keep any lineup off-balance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lambert credited his ability to stay in the strike zone and trust his pitch mix throughout the outing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were in and out of the strike zone for the most part when we needed to be, and all in all (I am) happy with it,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s performance lowered Lambert\u2019s ERA to 3.26, the best among the Astros’ starting pitchers this season.<\/p>\n

In June, Lambert allowed at least one home run every outing. In his previous start Monday<\/a> against the Minnesota Twins, he pitched for five innings, allowing four runs \u2014 including three homers \u2014 with four strikeouts to three walks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Sunday, Lambert was able to shut down the Rays’ lineup, notably All-Star Junior\u00a0Caminero, who has a .291 batting average, 26 home runs and 56 RBIs this season.\u00a0Caminero did not reach base until he drew a leadoff walk in the ninth inning against\u00a0Hader.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After hitting five home runs and scoring 11 runs the previous two nights, Tampa Bay’s lineup did not record an extra-base hit Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just attacked the strike zone pretty well,\u201d Lambert said. \u201c(Catcher Christian\u00a0Vazquez) comes in with an unbelievable game plan every time and we were able to execute it pretty good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

BATTERS
\nAVG
\nOBA
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\n2B
\n3B
\nHR
\nRBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nSB
\nCS
\nE<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n.241
\n.315
\n3089
\n413
\n745
\n142
\n7
\n122
\n395
\n302
\n754
\n29
\n12
\n38<\/p>\n

Alvarez
\n.320
\n.429
\n325
\n62
\n104
\n16
\n0
\n29
\n67
\n59
\n67
\n1
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a
\n.295
\n.356
\n183
\n34
\n54
\n9
\n0
\n6
\n21
\n15
\n35
\n8
\n1
\n5<\/p>\n

Correa
\n.279
\n.369
\n122
\n22
\n34
\n8
\n0
\n3
\n16
\n18
\n26
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Delgado
\n.267
\n.313
\n30
\n3
\n8
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n2
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n2<\/p>\n

Paredes
\n.254
\n.348
\n307
\n36
\n78
\n16
\n0
\n12
\n47
\n33
\n55
\n0
\n0
\n6<\/p>\n

Trammell
\n.252
\n.316
\n107
\n14
\n27
\n5
\n1
\n3
\n11
\n9
\n40
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Shewmake
\n.243
\n.260
\n74
\n8
\n18
\n3
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n2
\n13
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Walker
\n.238
\n.311
\n336
\n47
\n80
\n16
\n1
\n20
\n57
\n31
\n85
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Altuve
\n.236
\n.314
\n259
\n41
\n61
\n13
\n1
\n8
\n22
\n29
\n63
\n2
\n2
\n3<\/p>\n

Diaz
\n.235
\n.261
\n149
\n13
\n35
\n7
\n0
\n4
\n19
\n5
\n26
\n0
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Allen
\n.235
\n.284
\n81
\n14
\n19
\n3
\n0
\n1
\n6
\n5
\n20
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Harris
\n.226
\n.286
\n31
\n4
\n7
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n4
\n2
\n6
\n2
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Wade
\n.222
\n.263
\n18
\n2
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n1
\n6
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Smith
\n.221
\n.293
\n303
\n36
\n67
\n13
\n1
\n11
\n32
\n28
\n83
\n9
\n1
\n4<\/p>\n

V\u00e1zquez
\n.218
\n.275
\n165
\n17
\n36
\n6
\n0
\n4
\n19
\n13
\n31
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Loperfido
\n.216
\n.314
\n102
\n13
\n22
\n7
\n1
\n1
\n12
\n14
\n31
\n1
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n.206
\n.264
\n136
\n14
\n28
\n6
\n0
\n3
\n11
\n10
\n30
\n1
\n2
\n0<\/p>\n

Dezenzo
\n.204
\n.264
\n49
\n5
\n10
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n4
\n20
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Matthews
\n.191
\n.244
\n194
\n20
\n37
\n5
\n1
\n6
\n18
\n14
\n68
\n2
\n4
\n1<\/p>\n

Price
\n.167
\n.231
\n12
\n1
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n6
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Cole
\n.157
\n.189
\n51
\n4
\n8
\n1
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n1
\n21
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Johnson
\n.143
\n.294
\n14
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Whitcomb
\n.130
\n.167
\n23
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n5
\n1
\n11
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n.056
\n.227
\n18
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

PITCHERS
\nW
\nL
\nERA
\nG
\nGS
\nSV
\nIP
\nH
\nR
\nER
\nHR
\nBB
\nSO<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n45
\n47
\n4.72
\n92
\n92
\n27
\n815.1
\n730
\n457
\n428
\n124
\n397
\n795<\/p>\n

Ullola
\n0
\n0
\n0.00
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n7<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n0
\n0
\n0.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Hader
\n3
\n0
\n0.60
\n15
\n0
\n9
\n15
\n2
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n7
\n24<\/p>\n

Santa
\n0
\n1
\n0.71
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n12.2
\n5
\n5
\n1
\n0
\n5
\n8<\/p>\n

VanWey
\n1
\n0
\n1.50
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n6
\n5
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n5<\/p>\n

King
\n2
\n1
\n2.08
\n37
\n0
\n6
\n39
\n32
\n11
\n9
\n1
\n14
\n30<\/p>\n

Okert
\n1
\n1
\n2.49
\n43
\n1
\n0
\n43.1
\n26
\n12
\n12
\n5
\n12
\n41<\/p>\n

Lambert
\n7
\n5
\n3.26
\n14
\n14
\n0
\n80
\n60
\n29
\n29
\n10
\n32
\n74<\/p>\n

Blubaugh
\n4
\n2
\n3.36
\n34
\n0
\n0
\n56.1
\n40
\n22
\n21
\n5
\n29
\n53<\/p>\n

Brown
\n1
\n0
\n3.38
\n6
\n6
\n0
\n29.1
\n23
\n13
\n11
\n4
\n17
\n35<\/p>\n

Arrighetti
\n7
\n4
\n3.81
\n14
\n14
\n0
\n78
\n58
\n35
\n33
\n10
\n38
\n79<\/p>\n

Pearson
\n1
\n0
\n4.00
\n14
\n0
\n1
\n18
\n15
\n10
\n8
\n1
\n11
\n14<\/p>\n

Teng
\n4
\n6
\n4.36
\n23
\n10
\n0
\n64
\n59
\n35
\n31
\n10
\n28
\n63<\/p>\n

De Los Santos
\n0
\n2
\n4.76
\n37
\n0
\n5
\n39.2
\n38
\n23
\n21
\n5
\n9
\n37<\/p>\n

Roa
\n0
\n1
\n5.19
\n7
\n0
\n0
\n8.2
\n10
\n5
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n6<\/p>\n

Bolton
\n0
\n1
\n5.40
\n8
\n3
\n1
\n20
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n3
\n14
\n22<\/p>\n

Burrows
\n4
\n8
\n5.58
\n17
\n16
\n0
\n90.1
\n103
\n59
\n56
\n19
\n33
\n72<\/p>\n

Abreu
\n2
\n3
\n5.90
\n32
\n0
\n5
\n29
\n24
\n21
\n19
\n7
\n25
\n37<\/p>\n

Imai
\n5
\n4
\n6.14
\n12
\n12
\n0
\n48.1
\n41
\n33
\n33
\n8
\n30
\n60<\/p>\n

McCullers
\n2
\n3
\n6.86
\n8
\n8
\n0
\n39.1
\n38
\n32
\n30
\n7
\n22
\n43<\/p>\n

Murray
\n0
\n0
\n7.43
\n8
\n0
\n0
\n13.1
\n19
\n11
\n11
\n1
\n7
\n8<\/p>\n

Weiss
\n0
\n3
\n7.62
\n9
\n2
\n0
\n26
\n35
\n24
\n22
\n8
\n20
\n30<\/p>\n

France
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n6.2
\n6
\n6
\n6
\n1
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Sousa
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n3.1
\n3
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n0
\n0
\n9.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Alexander
\n1
\n1
\n9.33
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n18.1
\n21
\n19
\n19
\n4
\n8
\n14<\/p>\n

Javier
\n0
\n1
\n11.12
\n4
\n3
\n0
\n11.1
\n15
\n14
\n14
\n3
\n10
\n8<\/p>\n

Gordon
\n0
\n0
\n11.57
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n9.1
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n6
\n3
\n11<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1oz
\n0
\n0
\n15.75
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n4
\n7
\n7
\n7
\n3
\n6
\n6<\/p>\n

Since joining Houston\u2019s rotation, Lambert has provided stability for a staff that has battled injuries throughout the first half of the season. He improved to 7-5, with 74 strikeouts to 32 walks in 80 innings this season.<\/p>\n

Few would have expected Lambert to become such an important piece of Houston\u2019s pitching staff before the season began.<\/p>\n

The right-hander made his major league debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2019 and spent six seasons with the organization before leaving for Japan ahead of the 2025 season. Lambert signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, where he went 3-11 with a 4.26 ERA over 116 innings.<\/p>\n

Houston signed Lambert to a minor league contract last November that included an opt-out clause. Near the end of spring training, Lambert requested his release<\/a> after not making the opening-day roster.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

Instead of moving on, Lambert re-signed with the Astros on a new minor league deal and reported to Triple-A Sugar Land. He made three appearances, including two starts, before Houston\u2019s mounting injuries created an opportunity in the major league rotation.<\/p>\n

\u201c(Lambert) doesn\u2019t really give in,\u201d Espada said. \u201cWe asked him to go to Triple-A and he wanted to stay here, and I\u2019m glad he chose to stay here because he\u2019s been phenomenal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Since being called up, Lambert has emerged as one of Houston\u2019s most dependable starters, consistently giving the\u00a0Astros quality innings while being a stabilizing force in the rotation.<\/p>\n

The Astros now sit just two games below .500. The goal \u2014 be there by the All-Star break in a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

\u201cWith how the season started for us, we\u2019ve been just trying to scratch and claw our way back,\u201d Lambert said. \u201cWe\u2019re playing some pretty good ball right now. So we got six games before break, obviously it\u2019s always a goal to finish strong.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Peter Lambert restored order Sunday, putting the clamps on Tampa Bay’s bats a day after the Rays hit…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":362256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[56,58,57],"class_list":["post-362255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=362255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/362255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/362256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=362255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=362255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=362255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}