Houser (5-5) limited the Rangers to one run, a solo homer by Danny Santana in the sixth inning. He allowed three hits and a walk over six innings, his longest performance in nine starts this season.

Houser struck out the first two batters before mishandling a ground ball off the bat of Elvis Andrus. Then, in a scene reminiscent of his big league debut last season, he drew a visit from the team’s medical staff when he appeared to throw up behind the mound.

Houser returned and struck out Roughed Odor to get out of the inning and didn’t allow another baserunner until the fifth, when Nomar Mazara reached on a leadoff walk. Logan Forsythe followed with a single for Texas’ first hit of the game. Houser coaxed a pair of force-outs, and then struck out pinch-hitter Willie Calhoun to end the inning.

Milwaukee’s offense staked Houser to an early lead. In the first inning, Trent Grisham scored on a wild pitch by Pedro Payano, and the Brewers opened up a 2-0 lead when Hiura led off the third with a solo shot off Payano.

Payano (1-1) was charged with three runs on five hits and three walks over three innings.

Santana’s 18th homer of the season put Texas on the board in the sixth, and Shin-Soo Choo made it a one-run game with his 19th homer of the season, off Brewers reliever Drew Pomeranz.

TRAINERS ROOM

Rangers: LHP Joe Palumbo allowed a run over five innings Friday night in a rehab start with Triple-A Nashville as he continues to work his way back from a strained left foot. The Rangers’ No. 6 prospect coming into the season, Palumbo posted an 11.00 ERA in three big league appearances, but is 2-0 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 16 games (15 starts) for Nashville and Double-A Frisco this season with 101 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings of work.

”We’ll see him at some point, I just don’t know when,” manager Chris Woodward said. ”He’s getting closer.”

Brewers: Christian Yelich said he was ”better than (he) was yesterday” but sat out for a fifth straight game due to a recent bout of back spasms. Manager Craig Counsell said he wasn’t sure yet if Yelich would return Sunday, a possibility with the Brewers scheduled to get Monday off.

”Let’s see how he’s doing,” Counsell said.

UP NEXT

The series wraps up Sunday with Milwaukee RHP Jordan Lyles (7-7, 4.97 ERA) taking on Rangers LHP Mike Minor (10-6, 3.06). Lyles has a 1.80 in two starts for the Brewers, who acquired him from Pittsburgh ahead of the trade deadline, while Minor is 2-2 with a 5.24 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break.

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