Astros complete the sweep with a walk-off win
Astros daily report: Astros 9, A's 8
Apr 7, 2019, 4:50 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Houston was going for the sweep against the A's on Sunday. Here's how the long, crazy game went down:
Final Score: Astros 9, A's 8
Record: 5-5, third in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Roberto Osuna (1-0).
Losing pitcher: Blake Treinen (0-1).
Star of the game: The entire batting order contributed in Sunday's game in some fashion or another, whether it was a timely walk or a big home run. Alex Bregman went 3 for 4 with the huge sac fly that tied the game 8-8 in the eighth, Aledmys Diaz had four RBIs, but it was Jose Altuve who played hero, working the walk-off walk to win the game.
Notes: Peacock struggled heavily in the first inning, loading the bases with no outs. After a lucky and timely double play to keep the hopes of a scoreless inning alive, a high fly ball hit the roof and landed fair to score two runs, giving Oakland the early 2-0 advantage. The Astros created their own luck in the bottom of the inning, getting back-to-back RBI singles from Michael Brantley and Carlos Correa to tie the game before Aledmys Diaz pulled a ball to opposite field, enough to deflect off of Stephen PIscotty's glove and into the stands to make it a three-run home run and give Houston a 5-2 lead. The scoring continued in the second, with the A's getting a two-run homer to trim the lead to 5-4 before Houston battled back in their half of the inning, loading the bases before walking in a run to end Mike Fiers' day in just the second inning with the Astros up 6-4.
The scoring would slow down a bit in the innings after that, though the A's did get back to within a run with an RBI-double in the fourth to make it 6-5. Peacock managed to complete five innings before his day was done, allowing five runs on seven hits along with a walk. Josh James was first out of the bullpen in the top of the sixth and allowed Oakland to regain the lead after a two-run home run put them ahead 7-6. James would return for a scoreless seventh, then Hector Rondón took over in the eighth, allowing a solo home run to extend Oakland's lead to 8-6. Tony Kemp came through in the bottom of the eighth, getting a solo homer of his own to get Houston back within one at 8-7 before Alex Bregman would get a sac fly later in the inning to tie things up heading to the ninth. Roberto Osuna pitched the top of the ninth and retired Oakland in order, then the Astros got to work in the bottom of the inning to get the bases loaded for Jose Altuve who came through with the walk-off walk to win the game.
Up next: The Astros will stay in Houston and continue the six-game homestand tomorrow night with the first of three games against the Yankees getting underway at 6 PM. We'll get to watch the aces of both teams go head to head as Justin Verlander takes the mound for Houston opposite of Masahiro Tanaka for New York.
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Thoughts on Rockies-Astros series
After a rough opening loss to the Rockies, where Hunter Brown got knocked around early, the Astros regrouped and took the final two games to secure the series win. Framber Valdez delivered a much-needed dominant outing, a welcome sight after several shaky starts in August. Jason Alexander did his job as well, pounding the zone and keeping Houston within striking distance until the bats broke through.
Christian Walker provided the big swing in the finale with a go-ahead home run late, continuing his red-hot stretch — five homers in his last seven games. On the pitching side, Brian King and Bryan Abreu both turned in strong work to help close the door for Houston.
Yordan’s impact on the lineup
If Walker keeps producing near his career norms and Yordan Alvarez stays healthy, the Astros’ offense has the potential to overwhelm. Yordan’s return was immediately felt against the Rockies, giving the lineup a depth and presence that manager Joe Espada can slot anywhere.
With Jeremy Peña, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Yordan, Walker, Jesus Sánchez, and eventually Yainer Díaz forming the top seven, Houston suddenly looks as deep as any contender. Add Jake Meyers once he’s back, and the order stretches even further.
Sánchez, who snapped out of a brutal 0-for-27 slump, has quietly rebounded. Over his last 11 games, he’s batting .294 with a .529 slugging percentage and two home runs, giving Houston a second left-handed bat to pair with Yordan. Combine that with Correa — who leads the team in batting average since rejoining at the trade deadline — and it’s an offense poised for a major finishing kick.
Lance McCullers moves to the bullpen
McCullers has walked as many or more hitters than innings pitched in four of his last five outings, and command remains his biggest issue. A move to the bullpen doesn’t necessarily solve that problem — in fact, it could make it worse. Walks in relief situations are costly, and McCullers hasn’t shown the consistency to trust in high-leverage spots. A piggyback role, where he follows another starter, feels like a more realistic path for him at this point.
Rotation outlook with Luis Garcia
Luis Garcia could return as soon as Monday if elevated from Sugar Land, but Houston may not need to force a sixth starter into the mix.
Luis Garcia is certainly an obvious candidate to start on Monday, which is also the first day rosters expand from 26 to 28 - https://t.co/xBPB4xaog9 https://t.co/k2oSymidc0
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 28, 2025
If Spencer Arrighetti can build on his last outing and Cristian Javier starts trending upward, the rotation has enough stability to carry Houston through September. Garcia’s return would be a bonus — not a necessity — for a staff that looks like it may finally be rounding into form.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode on Thursday!
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