HOUSTON -- On a day when he had everything going, the only thing that frustrated Minnesota pitcher Kyle Gibson was he had to leave the game. The Twins right-hander was dominant in a 3-1 win against the Houston Astros, allowing six hits and one run in 7 2/3 innings on Wednesday. Gibson, who struck out four and walked two, took a shutout into the eighth before Chris Carter drove home Jose Altuve with s single. "Its never too frustrating when you win a game but I definitely wanted it thats for sure," Gibson said. "That last inning I knew every pitch was important to keep the pitch count down and be able to go back out there for the ninth. "That infield single that just didnt get hit hard enough and a bloop that just didnt get hit hard enough cost me the opportunity." Gibson (11-9) was well under 100 pitches going into the inning and nursing a 3-0 lead thanks to a sixth inning home run by Joe Mauer and a two-run RBI single in the seventh by Kennys Vargas. "I was sitting right there with him," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "I said If he gets through the eighth inning under 100 pitches we let him go back out there and take a shot at it. Hes earned that. Unfortunately they got a run on him and we had to get him out of there. I was thinking right along with him. I thought he was in control of the game." Mauer gave Gibson some cushion when he hit a 2-2 pitch into the right field bullpen in the sixth inning to break up a scoreless tie. Mauer, who extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a first inning single, drove the Brett Oberholtzer (4-8) pitch on a line to give the Twins a 1-0 lead. "Id like to have that back," Oberholtzer said of the pitch Mauer hit out. "Hindsights 20-20 but its a two-two count and I challenge there with nobody on to start the inning and he made me pay for it." Glen Perkins pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his 30th save of the season. Oberholtzer pitched well over seven innings. The left-hander allowed six hits and struck out four. "Oberholtzer threw the ball well, "Astros manager Bo Porter said. "He did a tremendous job, and offensively we didnt swing the bats. So he ends up being the tough luck loser." TRAINERS ROOM Astros: First baseman Jesus Guzman will begin a rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Guzman was placed on the 15-day disabled list August 3rd with back spasms. Twins: Ricky Nolasco is on schedule to make his first start since going on the disabled list July 8th after a second successful rehab outing August 10th. Gardenhire said after the game that right-hander Anthony Swarzak sprained his ankle on the last pitch of Tuesday 10-4 Astros win. The manager said the pitcher is day-to-day. UP NEXT Astros: Scott Feldman will look to extend his August win streak to three against Boston Thursday against Red Sox right-hander Allen Webster. Twins: After two rehab starts, Nolasco is scheduled to come off the disabled list Friday to face Kansas City and will be looking for his third win against the Royals in 2014. MAUER AND OBERHOLTZER CONTINUE STREAKS Mauers hitting streak is one shy of his career high of 16. Oberholtzers streak of quality starts is four. FOWLER RETURNS TO LINEUP Dexter Fowler was back in the Astros lineup for the first time since June 26th and went 1-for-4 with a walk and a single. The club optioned Domingo Santana to Triple-A to make room for his return. Lucas Nogueira Raptors Jersey . -- The Anaheim Ducks have signed left wing Dany Heatley to a one-year deal, returning the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to the Pacific Division. Devin Robinson Raptors Jersey . Indeed, must be among the greatest challenges in all of sports. The pressure he applies, from set to set, game to game, point to point, shot to shot. https://www.raptorsrookiesshop.com/Pasca...ition-Jersey/.C. -- Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith has been ruled out for Sundays game against the Atlanta Falcons. Dewan Hernandez Jersey . Lynchs attorney, Ivan Golde, told The Associated Press on Thursday of the plea deal that was reached with the Alameda County District Attorney Office. The plea will be formally entered in court in Oakland, Calif. Cameron Payne Raptors Jersey . "That was a great lift for the staff," Padres manager Bud Black said. Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal homered, and Chase Headley drove in three runs, as the Padres beat the Chicago Cubs 11-1 on Friday night.When we look back on it from the sobering eyes of October, this winless, goal-less, and mostly lifeless week may have actually come at a good time for the Whitecaps. The good news; it took until the end of June to have really poor back to back games. But those pre-World Cup break thrills and spills, with seven goals in two away games feels like much more than two-and-a-half weeks ago. What this past week did was expose a glaring weakness; Vancouvers inability to break through clubs who dont give them space. One dimension the club has been missing since year one in MLS is an aerial threat from a corner, free kick or a Pedro Morales diagonal ball. Whether that attribute is on the resume of a future Centre Back, or they go after a traditional target striker come July 9...the Whitecaps must get more production from the dead ball. With arch rivals Seattle providing the last opposition before an opening transfer window, one wonders how proactive the Whitecaps will be to strengthen. This weekends opponents are runaway league leaders built almost exclusively with well-travelled MLS veterans. Is that an ingredient the club is missing, especially in these dog days of the MLS schedule? Media and supporters alike salivated over the prospects of youngsters Mattocks Manneh and Hurtado all starting together against the leagues worst team in Montreal; especially without three key components in Marco DiVaio, Justin Mapp and Felipe. Its very easy to say now, but what else was Frank Klopas going to do against the Whitecaps, but sit deep? That first hour on Wednesday was like watching three Ferraris trying to race around downtown Vancouver traffic. Lots of revving, but never the space to really get going, and eventually, stuck at a red light on a one way street. The onne outfield bright spot against the Impact was the evasive and adventurous Gershon Koffie, who for his efforts, was given a spot on the bench at Colorado.dddddddddddd His holding midfield colleague Mattias Laba, was by his standards anonymous Wednesday, and downright leg-less at Philadelphia. But Laba kept his place, and in Koffies absence, Russell Tiebert, a player who many observers find hard to clearly define. One neednt extol the young Canadians virtues - we all know what they are, and he still has enough years to evolve into that ideal position. But the buzzing and supporting and possessing all seemed rather superfluous when the Whitecaps were down two and needing some forward thrust. Koffie did come on at half-time, but even then it felt too late. Most worrisome in Colorado were the performances of Uruguayans Nicholas Mezquida and Sebastien Fernandez. Their country had been dispatched from the World Cup by Colombia earlier that day, and it almost seemed like the two were still in mourning. Neither player could complete a pass, and both looked like featherweights in possession getting brushed aside by stronger opponents. As eight unbeaten suddenly became winless in three, it will be really interesting to watch how Carl Robinson goes about building his team up in advance of the Sounders visit. Does he show patience with his young players to get back to their previous form, or with four games in two weeks looming - does he consider making changes. There must also be a voice in the back of his head telling him about the components his squad doesnt have. We know the man they call Robbo never backs down from a challenge. Hes also not backing down from any incoming phone calls either. ' ' '