Allard in cruise control after early pothole

Rangers left-hander Kolby Allard pitched his best game as a Major Leaguer on Wednesday night.

Allard faced a powerful Astros lineup on the road and allowed only two runs on two hits through seven innings. It was the longest outing of his 16 Major League starts and came after holding the Athletics to two runs on one hit in 5 1/3 innings in his previous outing.

The Rangers didn’t win this one. Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s fourth-inning home run off Astros starter Cristian Javier was all they could muster in a 2-1 loss at Minute Maid Park. But the Rangers were able to see for the second straight start what Allard might look like in their rotation for next season.

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“This should give him a ton of confidence, honestly,” manager Chris Woodward said. “That is a tough lineup that he faced, and they hit lefties really well. So for him to have that kind of outing against that lineup, the way he moved the ball around, kept them off-balance, used both sides of the plate with all his pitches. He was really good.”

The Astros came into the game hitting .282 with a .503 slugging percentage against left-handers this season. Against them, Allard walked two and struck out four while throwing 79 pitches over seven innings. All the damage was done within the first 13 pitches.

Allard started the night by walking George Springer and getting Jose Altuve on a fly to center. Michael Brantley, after falling behind 0-2 in the count, hit a 2-2 cutter into the right-field seats for a two-run home run. Allard then retired 19 of the next 21 batters he faced through the seventh, allowing just a walk and a bunt single.

"I think it’s good,” Allard said. “I’ve thrown the ball pretty well. It’s going to make you feel a little more confident on things. I think it’s important to stay the course and keep going out there and executing pitches.”

Allard, 23, is in the rotation because Corey Kluber is on the injured list and not expected to return this season. The goal for Allard is to lock down a spot in the rotation next season.

He didn’t do that last year. He made nine starts for the Rangers and was 4-2 with a 4.96 ERA. The Rangers didn’t see him ready, so they acquired Kluber, Kyle Gibson and Jordan Lyles in the winter.

“For sure, I would be lying if I said that wasn’t the ultimate goal,” Allard said. “Go out there year in and year out, make 30-plus starts and throw 200 innings a year. That’s what I shoot for. Obviously, I am here now and I’m going to go out there and give it my best every five days.”

Allard is not going to dazzle anybody with his stuff. He throws 91 mph with his fastball, is not afraid to come inside to right-handers with the cut fastball but needs the changeup away. He has a curve to battle left-handers. He has to pitch and not throw. He has to use every area of the strike zone.

Allard has had some tough outings, too. Prior to the past two outings, he had allowed 10 runs in 3 2/3 innings in starts against the Rockies and Mariners.

The Rangers are in an economic situation where many spots next season must be filled by young, inexpensive players. The challenge for Allard is to show he can sustain this level of performance for an extended period.

“That is the question for every starter that hasn’t established himself as a Major League starter,” Woodward said. “He has all the attributes to be successful. He is open to criticism, open to changing game plans and working off game plans that are different than what he wants to do. He has done that the last two outings. That leads me to believe he can do it.

“He just always has to stay ahead of the curve and stay ahead of the opposing team. He doesn’t have completely overpowering stuff, but his stuff plays up. His fastball plays up. When he is commanding the baseball on both sides, he is really tough.”