SUPPORT THE 'STROS
6 best Houston bars and restaurants to cheer on the Astros
Oct 4, 2019, 9:04 am
Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
This article originally appeared on CultureMap.
Having finished with the best record in baseball, the Astros are the odds-on favorite to win the World Series. As 2017's run to the team's first title demonstrated, Houstonians go baseball crazy when the 'Stros are in the playoffs.
Frankly, watching sports is more fun in a group. Sweating out every pitch and cheering every home run is just better when surrounded by people who are locked in on every moment.
With that in mind, consider this list of recently opened or significantly renovated options for watching sports (roughly in the last year or so). While the focus is on the Astros, they'll also be handy should the Texans get things figured out or if the Rockets' union of James Harden and Russell Westbrook proves to be as dominant as it has the potential to be.
Electric FeelGood
Yes, the neon signage and slide might lead some to believe Midtown's newest bar is just a party spot, but it's got legit sports bar amenities, including lots of TVs downstairs and a room upstairs with a panel that can display eight different games at once. During Astros games, the bar's specials include beer buckets ($15 for domestics and $20 for imports) and discounts on snacks ($6 potato bombs and $10 flatbreads).
The Dogwood, Electric FeelGood's sister concept, isn't new, but it has specials of its own, including $14 buckets of Miller Lite or Coors Light, $5 pours of Jim Beam, $5 bowls of queso, $6 pulled pork sandwiches, and a dozen wings for $12.
Jack & Ginger’s
The Irish pub will have its TVs tuned in to the 'Stros throughout the playoffs. In addition to its typical happy hour deals on wine, appetizers, and beer flights (Monday through Friday 11 am to 9 pm), the bar will run game day specials of $5 Karbach Crawford Bocks and $5 Irish chips and dip (potato chips with smoked cheddar and French onion dip).
Pitch 25
Sure, this EaDo spot has a soccer theme, but the massive beer garden works for watching more than the beautiful game. They'll open early for Friday's 1 pm start. With 100 taps of beer and wine, finding the perfect pairing for that smoked turkey sandwich is a cinch.
Continue on CultureMap to see three more great spots to watch the Astros.
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The Houston Astros open a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. Houston, sitting atop the AL West with a 77-66 record, looks to bolster its postseason positioning, while Oakland (62-82) aims to play spoiler as the season winds down.
Pitching Probables
The Astros will send Spencer Arrighetti (7-12, 4.82 ERA) to the mound. Arrighetti has shown flashes of brilliance this season with 151 strikeouts but has struggled with consistency, sporting a 1.43 WHIP. He’ll face Osvaldo Bido (5-3, 3.41 ERA) for the Athletics, who has been a reliable arm in the Oakland rotation, posting a 1.09 WHIP and 63 strikeouts.
Astros overview
Houston, with a solid 41-30 home record, will rely on their bats and deep lineup to back Arrighetti. Yordan Alvarez continues to power the offense, tallying 31 doubles and 32 home runs on the season. Mauricio Dubon has also been hot, hitting .464 over his last 10 games. The Astros boast the eighth-best on-base percentage in the majors (.321), which will be key against Oakland’s pitching.
Athletics overview
Oakland has struggled on the road this year, going 26-43 away from the Coliseum. Brent Rooker, the A’s top power hitter with 35 home runs, will need to stay hot to give his team a chance. Shea Langeliers has also been productive lately, with three home runs in his last 10 games. The A’s have allowed 58 losses in games where they've given up a home run, a troubling stat heading into a series against Houston’s potent lineup.
Recent form
The Astros are 6-4 over their last 10 games with a 3.31 team ERA, outscoring their opponents by 10 runs. Oakland has gone 4-6 in their last 10, allowing a 4.73 ERA while being outscored by 17 runs during that stretch. Houston leads the season series 7-3, and they'll look to continue their dominance over their division rival as they aim for a strong postseason push.
Betting line
Houston is favored at -187 with the over/under set at 8 1/2 runs, reflecting expectations of a potentially high-scoring game.