Astros power past the Mariners for fifth straight win

Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 11-5 win

Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 11-5 win
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

Houston took the first game of this four-game set on Monday night and looked to take game two and extend their winning streak to five games with a victory on Tuesday. Here's the result of the game:

Final Score: Astros 11, Mariners 5.

Record: 42-20, first in the AL West.

Winning pitcher: Reymin Guduan (1-0, 6.00 ERA).

Losing pitcher: Brandon Brennan (2-4, 3.94 ERA).

1) Offenses trade blows, Astros get the KO 

It was an exchange of solo home runs early in the game, starting with Tony Kemp who put Houston ahead 1-0 with one in the top of the third. Seattle answered with one of their own to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the same inning, but Robinson Chirinos would break the tie right away in the top of the fourth with a crushed solo homer, make it 2-1 Astros.

Houston extended that lead in the top of the fifth on three-straight doubles including RBI-doubles for Alex Bregman and Michael Brantley, making it a 4-1 lead. The lead would not last long, though, as the Mariners would trim the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth then load the bases to set up a go-ahead bases-clearing double to put the Astros behind 5-4.

Houston would put together a big top of the seventh to erase the deficit, getting RBIs from Derek Fisher, Yuli Gurriel, and another for Bregman to grab a two-run lead at 7-5. They kept the scoring going in the eighth, knocking in four more runs to get to double-digits after an RBI-single from Myles Straw, another RBI for Bregman on a sac fly, and a two-RBI double for Jake Marisnick, extending the lead to 11-5.

2) Miley goes five 

Wade Miley started the game with five relatively strong innings, allowing just one run which came on a solo home run to tie the game 1-1 at the time. Miley returned to the mound for the sixth, but with a high pitch count and a close game was pulled after starting the inning with a walk and single. Those two runners in the sixth would eventually score, giving Miley a couple of extra earned runs. His final line – 5 IP, 3H, 3R, 3 BB, 6 K.

Josh James was first out of the bullpen, but after getting two outs would falter and allow an RBI-single then walk to load the bases, ending his appearance quickly. Next out was Reymin Guduan, called up just today to replace Corbin Martin who was optioned down to AAA after his recent struggles. Guduan would have his own issues, allowing the go-ahead three-RBI double which gave Miley an additional earned run on the night and two to James.

3) Harris, Devenski, Rodgers finish things off

After Seattle put together the big sixth inning, Will Harris would be next out of the bullpen to take over in the seventh and was able to work around a walk for a scoreless frame. Chris Devenski replaced Harris in the eighth, and thanks to a homerun-robbing catch by Josh Reddick was able to send the 11-5 game to the ninth.

In the ninth, Brady Rodgers made his second appearance after his 2019 debut on May 22nd where he went two innings while allowing a run. Tonight, though, he was asked for just one inning and would get it in scoreless fashion to cap off the win.

Up Next: The Astros and Mariners will have one more 9:10 PM start time in this series on Wednesday before an afternoon game on Thursday. Brad Peacock (5-2, 3.17 ERA) will be on the mound for Houston who will look to make it six straight wins with him on the bump. Mike Leake (4-6, 4.71 ERA) is the projected starter for Seattle.

The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.

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The Coogs are back in action on Saturday night. Photo by David Becker/Getty Images.

Wichita, Kansas – Saturday, 8:40 p.m. EDT

The No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (31-4) take on the No. 8 Gonzaga Bulldogs (26-8) in a highly anticipated second-round showdown of the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars, dominant in the Big 12 with a 22-1 record, bring the nation’s top-ranked defense to the court, while the Bulldogs, the West Coast Conference powerhouse, counter with one of the most efficient offenses in the country.

Defense vs. offense: The ultimate battle

Houston boasts the best defense in the Big 12, holding opponents to just 57.9 points per game on 38.1% shooting. The Cougars will be tasked with slowing down a Gonzaga squad that averages 84.6 points per game over its last 10 outings and shoots an impressive 50.1% from the field.

On the other side, Houston’s offense is averaging 72.1 points per game in its last 10 contests, a figure that will be tested against a Gonzaga defense allowing 67.6 points per game. The Cougars have a slight edge from beyond the arc, making 8.1 three-pointers per game compared to Gonzaga’s 7.3 allowed.

Key players to watch

For Houston, LJ Cryer has been the go-to scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, while Milos Uzan has stepped up recently, contributing 14.7 points over the last 10 games. The Cougars will also lean on their defensive intensity and ability to force turnovers to disrupt Gonzaga’s rhythm.

Gonzaga is led by Graham Ike, who is averaging 17 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Khalif Battle has also been a key contributor, posting 15.3 points and 1.6 steals per game in the past 10 contests. The Bulldogs’ ball movement will be crucial, as they average 20.4 assists per game in their last 10 contests, a stark contrast to Houston’s 9.0.

Game outlook

Houston enters as a 5.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, with the over/under set at 140.5 points. If the Cougars can impose their defensive will and limit Gonzaga’s transition game, they stand a strong chance of advancing. However, if the Bulldogs find their offensive groove early, Houston may be in for its toughest test of the tournament so far.

Expect an intense, physical battle where the team that dictates the tempo will likely punch its ticket to the Sweet 16.

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