The Houston Astros (46-48) didn’t get the start they hoped for from Tatsuya Imai, but they got a terrific performance from 6 relievers as they took the second game of this series 6-3 over the Washington Nationals (47-46) at Nationals Park.
Imai only lasted 3.2 IP, impacted by a cut on the ring fighter of his pitching hand that impacted his ability to grip the baseball and execute pitches. At one point in the second inning, a trainer had to come to the mound to put a cold towel on his hand to try to help
him get him get a proper grip on the ball, as his velocity dropped during the inning but it rebounded to normal level after the trainer came out.
The cut impacted his execution, and his pitch count racked up as a result, throwing 84 pitches in his 3.2 innings. Imai was charged with 2 ER, 4H, 3BB, and 3K.
Steven Okert (W, 2-1) was called on to finish the fourth, as he has essentially become the team’s stopper, and the pitcher manager Joe Espada is most comfortable going to when he brings in someone to get out of a jam, particularly when the Astros have a lead. Okert went 1.1 IP scoreless allowing 1 hit and striking out 3.
As Enyel De Los Santos, Bryan King, Bryan Abreu, Alimber Santa and Josh Hader (S, 10) held the Nationals potent offense in check, it was the Astros bottom of the order that did the majority of the damage for Houston this evening.
A second inning sac fly from Nick Allen drove in the Astros first run to tie the game at 1 in the top of the 2nd.
Allen then ripped a 2-run single in the 4th to give the Astros a 3-2 lead, driving in Christian Walker and Zach Dezenzo. A Christian Vazquez sac fly drove in Brice Matthews to make it a 4-2 game.
In the 6th, Vazquez struck again with an RBI single to score Dezenzo, and increase the lead to 5-2.
An 8th inning solo HR from Jose Altuve pushed the lead to 6-2.
The Nationals got 1 run in the 9th before Josh Hader was summoned to close the game out.
Tomorrow the Astros will send Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 3.81 ERA) to the mound looking to win their 7th series in their last 8 against Washington lefty Foster Griffin (9-2, 2.87 ERA).
