Astros shutout in Minnesota
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 1-0 loss
Apr 29, 2019, 9:13 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After big back-to-back wins to split the four-game series with the Indians in Houston, the Astros hit the road with game one of four against the Twins on Monday night. Here's a quick rundown and three hits from the game:
Final Score: Twins 1, Astros 0
Record: 17-12, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Jake Odorizzi (3-2).
Losing pitcher: Justin Verlander (4-1).
1) No support for Verlander
Justin Verlander provided Houston another solid start, going six innings during which he allowed just one run on a solo home run to go with just one other hit, two walks, and striking out seven. The home run continued his streak of allowing one, a streak that has plagued him in every start this year, one in each of his seven starts. Still, six innings of one-run baseball shouldn't earn you a loss on most nights, but tonight it did, dropping his record to 4-1.
2) Bats can't crack Odorizzi or bullpen
Houston's offense could not string together enough hits to do any damage against Jake Odorizzi, allowing him to complete seven shutout innings during which he allowed just four hits, one walk, and struck out seven. They'd also have no luck against the bullpen, getting just one hit in the final two innings to go shutout in the game.
3) More solid innings from Houston's bullpen
After Verlander's six innings, the Astros looked to their strained bullpen to keep them in the game. Hector Rondon took over in the seventh and threw a perfect inning. Framber Valdez, after earning a win in two great innings the night before, had the eighth and worked around a leadoff double to keep it a one-run game going to the ninth where the Astros would come up empty.
Up Next: Houston will have game two of this four-game set tomorrow night with first pitch at 6:40 PM. The Astros will send Gerrit Cole (1-4, 4.71 ERA) to the mound to try and improve his tough early numbers against Michael Pineda (2-1, 5.63 ERA) for the Twins.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Astros first baseman Christian Walker left Wednesday's game against the Athletics after being hit by a pitch on his right hand.
Manager Joe Espada said that he was hit on the top of his hand near his knuckles and that X-rays were negative.
“That's a good sign,” Espada said. “So we'll see how he feels tomorrow.”
Walker was hit by a 96 mph pitch from Luis Severino in the fourth inning. He writhed in pain for a few seconds before trotting to first base, where he was examined by a trainer.
He remained in the game and scored on a two-out single by Cam Smith.
Walker played defense in the next two innings before being replaced by pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubón in the bottom of the sixth.
“He played defense and once he came back for his at-bat, we asked him to grip a bat and he wasn't very comfortable doing that,” Espada said.