Not that you’d expect this current Astros team to advance very far in the playoffs, but they did manage to keep their chances of making the playoffs barely alive with today’s win over the Athletics.
Today, both pitching and hitting came together, breaking a five-game losing streak. It would have been nice if he could have done this at the beginning of September instead of the end, but Framber Valdez returned to All-Star form today, allowing one run in seven innings on seven hits, two walks, and 10
Ks. If this version of Framber can perform in any hypothetical playoff situation, maybe the Astros would have a chance after all.
Meanwhile, the offense managed to score more than one run for the first time in this series in Sacramento, knocking out As starter J.T. Ginn in the fourth inning. In fact, they secured their first lead in five games right away with two runs in the first. After a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Victor Caratini singled home Isaac Paredes, equalling the Astros’ run production in the previous games in this series. Carlos Correa would then score on a Christian Walker fielder’s choice.
The Astros would add three more runs in the second inning. A Jose Altuve double would score Zack Cole, who led off the inning with a double. Mauricio Dubon and Altuve would later score on a Paredes single and Carlos Correa’s fielder’s choice.
They added two more in each of the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, a Paredes single scored Taylor Trammell, and a Christian Walker single scored Altuve. In the fifth inning, Dubon doubled home Trammell, and Altuve singled in Dubon on a pop-up reminiscent of the blooper committed by Cristian Javier/Astros infield in Game One of this series.
The As finally broke through against Valdez in the sixth inning on a Nick Kurtz (Big Amish) oppo taco, no-doubt homer to left field. If the As can build around the core of Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Brett Rooker, all with 30+ homers, they will be a threat not only in the AL West but the entire American League for years to come. It’s a franchise with a history of over-achievement, and the currently homeless As appear ready to carry that tradition to Las Vegas.
The Astros maintained their lead in the seventh on a Correa RBI double. They piled on in the eighth with Christian Walker’s 24th homer, a solo shot.
Nick Kurtz would add his second homer of the game (35), a two-run shot off Enyel De Los Santos. In the ninth inning, Langeliers, J.J. Bleday doubles, and a walk chased Astros reliever Nick Hernandez, forcing Astros manager Joe Espada to deploy his closer, Bryan Abreu, with no outs. But despite not having pitched for many days, Abreu induced two quick groundouts, resulting in a run, and closed the game by striking out Big Amish.
Final Score, Astros 11, As 5.
Astros fans eagerly await the result of the Detroit-Cleveland game. Detroit currently leads 2-0 after the first inning.
