Roberto Osuna blows the save to end Houston's winning streak
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 8-7 loss
Aug 11, 2019, 4:02 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After bludgeoning the Orioles 23-2 on Saturday to secure the series win, the Astros had the chance for a sweep and their ninth-straight victory on Sunday afternoon. Here is a recap of the finale in Baltimore:
Final Score: Orioles 8, Astros 7.
Record: 77-41, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Richard Bleier (3-0, 6.00 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Roberto Osuna (3-3, 3.04 ERA).
1) O's give Verlander griefÂ
Justin Verlander had a surprisingly rough outing against the Orioles on Sunday. It started in the bottom of the first when the Orioles would jump out to a 1-0 lead by scoring a run on three hits against him. After Houston took over 3-1 in the top of the second, Baltimore would keep getting to Verlander by getting another run on a couple of hits and a walk, trimming the lead to 3-2.
He settled back in after that, working around a double and hit batter in the third to maintain the lead then getting his first 1-2-3 inning in the fourth. The Orioles would regain the lead against him in the bottom of the fifth, though, tagging him with two more runs before his pitch count would cause his day to end early.
While he left after five innings with his team down 4-3, Verlander was still able to make it five-straight double-digit strikeout games, getting eleven in his otherwise rough outing. His final line: 5 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR.
2) Correa showcases his power again
After going down 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Houston was able to quickly take a lead of their own in the top of the second. Alex Bregman led the inning off by working a walk, followed by a single by Yordan Alvarez. That put two runners on base for Carlos Correa, who drilled a home run to left-center field, much like his monster the night before, giving him back-to-back games with a homer.
Carlos crushed it. 💪 pic.twitter.com/hOW9X5hUtd
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2019
They would watch that lead dissipate over the next few innings as Verlander would give up the go-ahead runs in the fifth. Chris Devenski was first out of Houston's bullpen to pitch the bottom of the sixth, but he too would allow a run on a two-out RBI-single to extend Baltimore's lead to 5-3.
3) Houston mounts a comeback, Osuna blows the save
The Astros went to work against Baltimore's bullpen in the top of the seventh, getting runners on second and third with no outs after a couple of hits to start the inning. Jose Altuve drove in a run on an RBI-groundout to make it a one-run game, but they would strand two runners to remain down 5-4.
Will Harris was able to keep the score where it was by throwing a scoreless 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh with a little help from a terrific defensive play by Carlos Correa. Correa led off the top of the next inning with a single, giving him a multi-hit game, but would become another stranded runner.
Joe Biagini took over on the mound in the bottom of the eighth and although he would load the bases with one out, would get out of the jam to keep it a one-run game going to the ninth. Houston had the top of their lineup up in the top of the ninth, and they put the first two runners aboard.
Michael Brantley came through for Houston, drilling a ball into the right-field corner and coming all the way around to score on a hit which would go down as a triple and an error instead of an inside-the-park home run, but either way gave Houston a 7-5 lead.
A Little League homer for the lead! pic.twitter.com/V2Rws9ZEWv
— MLB (@MLB) August 11, 2019
Roberto Osuna would be brought in to wrap things up in the bottom of the ninth, but instead allowed three runs including a two-run walk-off homer. The loss ended Houston's eight-game winning streak.
Up Next: Houston will stay on the road and start a new series with the White Sox in Chicago on Monday night. The opener will begin at 7:10 PM Central and the expected pitching matchup is Zack Greinke (11-4, 3.08 ERA) making his second start for Houston going against Dylan Cease (2-4, 6.00 ERA) for Chicago.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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