Astros take another from the Rangers
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 4 hits from the 3-0 win
May 10, 2019, 9:40 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After an exciting finish to the first game of the series, the Astros looked to take game two on Friday night against the Rangers. Here's a quick rundown and four points from the game:
Final Score: Astros 3, Rangers 0
Record: 24-15, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Justin Verlander (6-1, 2.51 ERA)
Losing pitcher: Lance Lynn (4-3, 5.48 ERA)
1) Altuve exits with an injury
After reaching base by hustling out an infield single, Jose Altuve would try to stay in and run but would eventually get removed from the game with a leg injury. The current status is left hamstring discomfort (a term Astros that fans are all too familiar with) which has him day-to-day. Hopefully, that diagnosis is correct and not something more long-term.
2) Verlander throws seven shutout innings in win
Friday night was just another day at the office for Justin Verlander. He threw seven one-hit innings of shutout baseball, and along the way threw eight strikeouts to move him to 22nd on the all-time list, sitting at 2,774 in his great career so far. The scoreless night also moved his ERA down to 2.51 on the year. The win moves him to 6-1 on the year.
3) Bottom of the order powers through
As proof that there's no easy out in this Houston lineup, it was the 7-8-9 hitters that provided most of the offense in this game. Jake Marisnick got the Astros on the board with a solo home run in the third to make it a 1-0 game. After some quiet innings, Yuli Gurriel and Robinson Chirinos made some noise with back-to-back homers to extend the lead to 3-0.
4) Pressly and Osuna close it out
With Verlander done after seven innings, the Astros looked to their one-two punch of Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna to close out the win. Pressly extended his scoreless inning streak to 35 with a 1-2-3 eighth including a strikeout, moving the 3-0 game to the ninth. Roberto Osuna came in looking to grab his tenth save of the year, and with a little help from Josh Reddick for the second consecutive night, was able to do so to close out the victory for Houston.
Up Next: Game three of this four-game set will get started at 7:10 PM tomorrow night in Houston. The Astros will send Gerrit Cole (3-4, 4.17 ERA) to the mound to extend his league-lead in strikeouts. He'll be up against Drew Smyly (0-2, 6.63 ERA) for the Rangers.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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The Astros know how to win these games, and it shows
Jun 29, 2025, 4:28 pm
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Key moment
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
Key stat
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.