Astros start the homestand with a win

Altuve returns, Urquidy deals as Astros take opener against Rangers

Astros Jose Altuve
Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Astros Jose Altuve

With a disappointing road trip behind them, the Astros set their sights on the final two-week stretch of games leading up to the end of the regular season. They started this week, and their last homestand, with the opener of a three-game set against the Rangers. Here is how the game unfolded:

Final Score: Astros 4, Rangers 1.

Record: 24-24, second in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.70 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Nick Goody (0-1, 7.45 ERA).

Springer homers while Urquidy carves up the Rangers

George Springer felt right at home in the bottom of the first, as he would demolish a ball 455 feet for a leadoff solo home run to put the Astros ahead 1-0. Houston had a chance to expand their lead exponentially in the bottom of the second by loading the bases with no outs but grounded into a double play then popped out as the Rangers would navigate through the jam without allowing any damage.

It looked like the one run may go a long way through the first four innings, as Jose Urquidy was carving up the Rangers' lineup through four perfect frames. The Rangers would get their first hit in the top of the fifth, then back that up with two more, one an RBI-single to tie the game 1-1. That would be the only blemish on Urquidy's night, as he would follow that one-run fifth with two more perfect innings. His final line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 90 P.

Astros start the homestand with a win


Just like in the second, the Astros found themselves in a prime spot to do some damage against Texas in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases again with no outs. After a force out at home for the first out, Alex Bregman would finally break through, dropping a two-RBI single into left field to give Houston a 3-1 lead.

Brooks Raley took over for Urquidy to start the top of the eighth and sat down the bottom of Texas' order for a 1-2-3 inning. Martin Maldonado provided an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, hitting a two-out solo homer into the Crawford Boxes to extend the lead to 4-1. Ryan Pressly would take over for the save opportunity in the top of the ninth and converted it as Houston moved back up to .500 on the year at 24-24 with the win to start the series.

Up Next: The middle game of this series will start at 7:10 PM Central on Wednesday. Lance McCullers Jr. (3-2, 5.79 ERA) will attempt another start for the Astors after a stint on the IL, while Kyle Gibson (1-5, 6.14 ERA) will be on the mound for the Rangers.

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The Texans square off with the Packers this Sunday! Composite Getty Image.

The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.

It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?

Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.

After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.

The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.

X-factors

The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.

If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.

For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube

The Astros are always in season for discussion. Our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts drop Mondays: Click here to watch!

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