Astros beat Boston for ninth-straight win
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 3-1 win
May 17, 2019, 9:11 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Riding an eight-game winning streak into Boston, the Astros started a weekend series with the defending champion Red Sox in an ALCS rematch from last season. Here's a rundown of the first game of the three-game set:
Final Score: Astros 3, Red Sox 1
Record: 30-15, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Will Harris (1-0, 1.23 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Rick Porcello (3-4, 4.80 ERA).
1) Porcello outlasts Cole before losing lead
Both starting pitchers had their work cut out for them going up against potent lineups at the plate. Gerrit Cole had a very respectable game, working in and out of some trouble to finish five scoreless innings with six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Rick Porcello had a much more efficient night than Cole, finishing seven scoreless innings, but would allow two runs in the eighth to earn him the loss.
2) Springer breaks through late
After a tough night at the plate through the first seven innings, Houston finally had something to work with after Jake Marisnick led off the eighth with a double. That provided an opportunity for George Springer to blast a go-ahead home run, his 17th of the year, to put the Astros ahead 2-1. They'd make it a three-run inning by working a couple of walks then getting an RBI sac fly from Josh Reddick to extend the lead to 3-1.
3) Bullpen throws four innings of one-run ball
After Cole's night ended relatively early, it was up to Houston's bullpen to throw four innings and keep the Astros in the game. Things weren't looking good in the first of those four innings, with Hector Rondon allowing an RBI-single for the first run of the game, putting Boston up 1-0 at the time. That would be the only run the Red Sox would get, though, with Will Harris throwing a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts, then Ryan Pressly throwing yet another scoreless inning, making it an MLB-record 39 straight appearances. Roberto Osuna took over in the ninth and worked around a one-out double and two-out walk to lock up another save and finish the win.
Up Next: The Astros will continue this series tomorrow with game two of three getting underway at 6:15 PM. Corbin Martin (1-0, 3.38 ERA) will make his second career start for Houston and look to repeat the success of his first as he goes up against Hector Velazquez (1-2, 3.95 ERA) for Boston.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.