Texas Rangers starting pitcher Martin Perez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Martín Pérez pitched seven strong innings, Marcus Semien hit his eighth home run and the Texas Rangers held off the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. Pérez allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts to win his fifth straight decision. The 32-year-old left-hander kept the Pirates in check inducing 12 groundball outs, with a pair of inning-ending double plays. Johan Oviedo threw the second “immaculate inning” by a Pittsburgh pitcher this season when he struck out the side on nine pitches in the fourth inning. It wasn’t enough for the Pirates to avoid falling to 5-15 in May.