Astros get a walk-off win against Boston
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 4-3 win
May 25, 2019, 9:43 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
With a win in game one of the series the night before in the books, the Astros looked to lock up the series win with a victory Saturday evening. Here's how the game went:
Final Score: Astros 4, Red Sox 3.
Record: 35-18, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Roberto Osuna (3-0, 1.54 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Matt Barnes (2-1, 2.25 ERA).
1) Peacock does it again
Brad Peacock took the mound on Saturday riding a three-game winning streak over his last three starts. He looked just as good in this as those, keeping Boston out of the scoring column. He had to work out of a couple of jams along the way, but in the end, it was a great start: six innings, five hits, zero runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts. That should have been enough for a win, but unfortunately would not factor in the decision.
2) Bats break through in the sixth, add on in the seventh, walk it off in the ninth
Houston's offense had a weird start to their night with starter David Price leaving the game with flu-like symptoms just two outs into the first inning. That would make it a bullpen day for the Red Sox, and it would prove tough for the Astros as they would be held scoreless through the first five innings.
Things changed in the sixth, though, after Carlos Correa worked a one-out walk then Yuli Gurriel moved him to second on a single. That would set up Josh Reddick for the biggest hit of the night so far, an RBI single to put the first run on the board for either team. Tyler White extended that lead to 2-0 in the next at-bat with an RBI single of his own. Houston's bats did more work against Boston's bullpen in the seventh, getting a leadoff double from Aledmys Diaz who would eventually come around to score on an RBI from Gurriel to make it a 3-1 game.
After the Red Sox tied the game 3-3 in the top of the ninth, it was up to Houston's offense again to come up with a run to win the game. Once again, Diaz sparked things by leading off the bottom of the ninth with a double. He'd move to third after Houston worked back-to-back walks to load the bases with no outs, then come around to score the winning run on an RBI by Carlos Correa.
3) Rough appearance for Osuna
Hector Rondon took over for Peacock to start the seventh, but would only be able to notch two outs while putting two on base, resulting in a call for Ryan Pressly to take over. Pressly would give up an RBI-single to cut the lead in half at 2-1 before Houston would catch a runner advancing to end the inning.
Pressly remained in the game for the eighth and retired the Red Sox in order, setting up Roberto Osuna to take over in the ninth. Osuna would crumble, giving up back-to-back singles to start the inning, then hitting the next batter to load the bases with no outs. That was followed with a two-run single to tie the game before Osuna would finally get out of the inning, leaving the game tied.
Up Next: Houston will wrap up this series, which is also the last game of the season series, with Boston tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM. The pitching matchup will be Justin Verlander (8-1, 2.24 ERA) for the Astros going against Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3, 5.43 ERA) for the Red Sox. With a win, Houston will sweep this series and take five out of six in the regular-season series.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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