A helping hand
Astros' Carlos Correa steps up to the plate in drive to get beds for kids after Harvey
Sep 18, 2017, 7:00 am
Carlos Correa, center, poses for a photo with volunteers at a bed distribution at Texas Mattress Makers for the Houston Children’s Charity. Courtesy of Texas Mattress Makers
Carlos Correa has spent most of the season batting cleanup for the Astros. On Monday, he took a swing at helping the city itself clean up after Hurricane Harvey. Correa was part of a bed distribution at Texas Mattress Makers for the Houston Children’s Charity. The goal is to raise $500,000 to help get beds and linens for 5,000 children and families who lost theirs in the storm.
“I wanted to help," Correa said. “I pray for these families.”
Correa was joined by veteran newsman Dave Ward and several local sports radio personalities for the event.
“It went really well,” said Rachel Gordon, who works at Texas Mattress Makers with her father, Youval Meicler. Both have been active in charity in Houston for years.
Gordon is in charge of the Young Houstonians for Houston Children’s Charity and helped spearhead the distribution. “Carlos has been great. All of the volunteers were great. Our goal is 5,000 beds and we hope to raise $500,000,” she said. “We are close — we have raised almost $300,000 so far.”
Gordon had flood damage of her own during the storm, but is happy to be able to help others.
“I think it’s great the way Houston has come together,” she said. “We are all just trying to make a difference, especially for these children. Children sleeping on the floor ... you don’t want that. I’m really fortunate to be a part of this initiative and to be able to help out.”
Applications for those in need are available here and in Spanish here.
Donations can be made through the Houston Children's Charity Harvey Relief web page or through Correa’s YouCaring crowdfunding site. Also, the Young Houstonians for Houston Children’s Charity will be hosting their fall mixer at Hotel ZaZa on October 19 at 6 pm.
“All the proceeds are going to benefit this program,” Gordon said.
Meanwhile, Correa has donated 500 beds already. “I know how important this is,” he said.
On Sunday, Correa’s Astros clinched the AL West. A day later, he was helping another team of winners distribute mattresses to people in need.
And this group of volunteers and charity workers did what Correa always does in uniform — stepped up to the plate big time.
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Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.
Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.
Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.
Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.
The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.
Key moment
Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.
Key stat
The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.
Up next
RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.