Astros finally snap their losing streak
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 9-4 win
Jun 23, 2019, 3:53 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Once again the Astros would take the field with hopes of ending their current losing streak by finding a way to break out of their recent slump and run of bad luck. A victory would not only get them back in the win column; it would secure the season-series win against the Yankees with the first six games being split 3-3 between the two teams. Here's how the series finale wound up:
Final Score: Astros 9, Yankees 4.
Record: 49-30, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Justin Verlander (10-3, 2.67 ERA).
Losing pitcher: J.A. Happ (7-4, 5.23 ERA).
1) Bats finally connect
In his interim role as the leadoff hitter, Jose Altuve set the tone of the game in the very first at-bat by launching a solo home run to put Houston ahead 1-0. Altuve would score again in the third inning, this time on an RBI-single by Michael Brantley to extend the lead to 2-0.
Then, in the top of the fourth, the Astros finally looked like the daunting lineup they are supposed to be. They started the inning on three consecutive singles by Yuli Gurriel, Robinson Chirinos, and Josh Reddick to load the bases for Tyler White. White would deliver his third home run of the season, a grand slam to extend Houston's lead to 6-0.
Short porch, counts.
(MLB x @PapaJohns) pic.twitter.com/BDMyYifHM1
— MLB (@MLB) June 23, 2019
They would continue to score in the next inning, getting a leadoff single from Michael Brantley to set up a two-run home run from Yordan Alvarez, his third in this four-game series and his seventh in his first twelve games. Yuli Gurriel made it back-to-back home runs in the next at-bat, hitting a solo shot to make it a 9-0 Houston lead.
2) Verlander gets win number 10
Justin Verlander provided another great start for his team, working well with and maintaining the lead he was given throughout the afternoon. Verlander allowed just one hit and two walks over the first four innings before allowing a couple of two-out singles then a three-run home run in the fifth.
That made it a 9-3 game, and Verlander would lock right back in and retire the next seven batters in order to complete seven innings during which he'd notch nine more strikeouts. The win put him at ten on the season, moving him back into the tie on top of the AL for wins. Verlander's final line: 7 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 1 HR.
Ace, stopper, masterful. #TakeItBack pic.twitter.com/HtLkssxLWB
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 23, 2019
3) Devenski and Osuna finish off the win
With Verlander's day done after seven innings of three-run baseball, Chris Devenski took over in the eighth and would allow a run before sending things on to the ninth. Roberto Osuna, who hadn't pitched since Wednesday, was given some work despite the non-save situation and was able to close things out to provide Houston with their first victory since beating the Blue Jays last Saturday.
Up Next: Houston will travel back to Houston tomorrow and enjoy a much-needed day off on Monday to refresh and reset for a six-game homestand starting on Tuesday. They'll pick up a three-game series with the Pirates on Tuesday at 7:10 PM with game one featuring Gerrit Cole (6-5, 3.54 ERA) on the mound for the Astros facing his former team. The Pirates are expected to counter with Trevor Williams (2-1, 4.12 ERA).
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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The Houston Astros return to action Tuesday night in West Sacramento, looking to even their series with the Athletics after a tough loss in the opener. Though the Astros remain in first place in the AL West at 41-31, they’ve yet to find their full rhythm on the road, entering this matchup with a 14-18 record away from home.
Houston turns to recently recalled right-hander Jason Alexander, who will be making his fifth appearance of the season — but his first in an Astros uniform. All four of his previous outings in 2025 came with the A's, where he posted an 18.00 ERA across six innings.
With the Astros riding a recent stretch of strong pitching — boasting a 2.60 team ERA over their last 10 games — Alexander will try to keep the rotation’s momentum going.
Oakland counters with JP Sears, a lefty who’s logged a 5-5 record and 5.08 ERA this season. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, Sears has shown flashes of dependability and will be facing a Houston lineup that’s starting to click. The Astros are hitting .261 over their last 10 games and have gone 13-4 in games where they’ve launched at least two home runs — a trend they’ll hope continues in this one.
The Athletics, meanwhile, come in at 30-44 overall and 13-23 at home. But despite their struggles, they’ve gone 6-4 over their last 10, getting solid production from their pitching staff, which has posted a 3.06 ERA during that stretch. Oakland’s offense has been led by Brent Rooker, who enters the game with 15 home runs and a .491 slugging percentage. Max Muncy has also been a bright spot lately, with four home runs and 11 RBIs in his last 10 games.
For Houston, veteran second baseman/left fielder Jose Altuve continues to lead the charge. The former MVP has 10 doubles and 11 home runs on the year and remains one of the most reliable bats in the Astros lineup.
Tuesday night marks the fourth meeting of the season between these division rivals, with the Athletics currently holding a 1-0 edge in the series. First pitch is set for 10:05 p.m. EDT, as the Astros look to get back on track and reassert their dominance in the AL West.
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