Jazz 107, Rockets 91
3-pointers from the Rockets loss to Utah in Game 4
Apr 23, 2019, 5:03 am
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The Utah Jazz avoided elimination rallying to beat the Rockets in the fourth quarter 107-91. The Rockets still lead 3-1 and should wrap up the series on Wednesday at Toyota Center. A quick look at the game:
1) Donovan Mitchell shows up
The Jazz start scored 19 if his 31 points in the fourth quarter to close the deal. He had a rough start to the game, but came up big late. Mitchell has to be at his best for the Jazz to have a chance, and the Rockets have to not play their best. That's exactly what happened.
2) Not protecting the basketball
James Harden had eight turnovers and the team had 15 overall. They were sloppy with the ball and it cost them. In addition, the bench was invisible with only five points. The Rockets also shot better from 3 (37 percent) than 2 (35.4 percent).
3) Capela's impact
Clint Capela was battling illness and managed just four points in 28 minutes of play. The the Rockets are clicking, he is a monster on the pick and roll, but Monday night he was completely ineffective. That plus the lack of bench play proved too much to overcome.
The bottom line: The Rockets dropped a stinker. (You could argue that is two in a row, but they managed to win game 3). They return home on Wednesday and there is little reason to think they will play this poorly again. It would have been nice to close it out Monday but it should happen when they return home.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.