ASTROS REPORT
5 important stats that speak volumes about the Astros
Jun 28, 2021, 4:12 pm
Ryan Pressly leads the team with a 1.69 ERA. Composite image by Jack Brame.
Last week the Astros swept the Orioles and split a series with the Detroit Tigers 2-2.
While in Baltimore, Houston out scored the orange birds by a combined margin of 26-3. The largest run differential of the season against any opponent. The Astros have a +142 run differential this season, the best in baseball by far.
Houston was riding an 11-game winning streak before the start of Saturday's doubleheader against the Tigers. Detroit won the first game 3-1 snapping the streak.
Even though their streak ended, the Astros still remain in first place in the American League with a 48-30 record.
Houston's winning ways have come on the heels of great offensive numbers, starting pitchers improving, a much better bullpen, and stellar play from a couple of potential All-Stars.
Seven Astros advanced to the second phase of the MLB All-Star voting process on Sunday.
Houston's entire starting infield (Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman) finished in the top three of their respective positions, along with designated hitter Yordan Alvarez and catcher Martin Maldonado.
Michael Brantley advanced as well, but outfielder Kyle Tucker just missed the cut finishing 10th in fan voting among outfielders in the American League.
Starting pitching has been improving as the season progresses. Jake Odorizzi, Zack Greinke, Jose Urquidy and Lance McCullers all earned wins this week. Houston has been using a 6-man rotation with the aforementioned pitchers and both Luis Garcia and Framber Valdez to round out the rotation. This configuration could work well for the Astros moving forward.
After getting off to a rocky start, the Astros bullpen has been steadily improving over their last couple of games. Over their last 27 games, Houston has the best bullpen ERA at 2.63. Ryan Pressly leads the team with a 1.69 ERA and has become one of the most reliable closers in the league with 12 saves.
Myles Straw has show the most improvement over the last two months. On May 1st, Straw had a .213 batting average and was more or less just trying to prove he belongs on this roster. Now the center fielder has a .270 batting average with 2 home runs and has improved substantially as an outfielder.
Up Next: Houston starts a short three game home stand against the Baltimore Orioles, before a 4-game road trip to Cleveland to face the Indians during 4th of July weekend.
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Marcell Ozuna hit his major league-leading eighth homer and Orlando Arcia’s RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
It completes a three-game sweep of the struggling Astros and is Atlanta’s fourth straight victory.
The Braves scored two runs in the eighth inning to tie it at 4-4. Michael Harris II started the 10th as the automatic runner on second and there was one out in the inning when Seth Martinez (1-1) intentionally walked Matt Olson.
Ozuna lined out to right field to send Harris to third base. Arcia then singled on a ground ball to left field to score Harris and put the Braves on top.
Pinch-runner Jake Meyers was on second when Kyle Tucker walked with no outs in the 10th. Meyers moved to third on a fly out by Yainer Diaz but Jeremy Peña grounded into a double play to end it.
A.J. Minter (3-1) got the last two outs of the ninth for the win and Raisel Iglesias earned his fifth save.
Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. added his first homer of the season to help the Braves to the victory. Ozuna also leads the majors with 23 RBIs and he extended his hitting streak to 16 games, which ties his career best and is the longest active streak in the majors.
Yordan Alvarez and Mauricio Dubón both homered for the Astros, who fell to 6-14 and are last in the AL West.
There was one out in the first when Alvarez connected on his homer to the seats in left field to put Houston up 1-0.
Ozuna opened the second with his 432-foot shot to left field, which bounced off the wall and tied the game.
Acuña put the Braves up 2-1 when he sent the first pitch of the fifth inning to straightaway center field.
The Astros tied it on an RBI single by Alex Bregman in the fifth and Kyle Tucker’s RBI double came next to put the Astros up 3-2.
Dubón hit his first home run of the year off Jesse Chavez to start Houston’s sixth and push the lead to 4-2.
Harris singled to start the seventh before a ground-rule double by Austin Riley. Olson reached, and Harris scored on a fielding error by first baseman José Abreu when he couldn’t grab a routine ground ball.
There was one out in the inning when Riley scored on a sacrifice fly by Arcia to tie it at 4-all.
Houston starter J.P. France allowed four hits and two runs in five innings.
Max Fried gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta is off Thursday before opening a series against Texas on Friday night with LHP Chris Sale (1-1, 4.58 ERA) on the mound.
Astros: Houston is also off Thursday before ace Justin Verlander will make his season debut Friday night against Washington. The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.