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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The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the defending champs this weekend, they changed the tone of their season.
Dominant pitching. Star power. Road swagger. The three-game dismantling of the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine wasn’t about revenge or validation. It was about showing, once and for all, that this version of the Astros, short-handed and all, belongs squarely in the conversation with baseball’s elite.
A statement series
The Astros pitching staff was lights out against one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, holding the Dodgers to just six runs across three games, including two contests where LA managed just a single run. Lance McCullers Jr., much-maligned after getting shelled by the Cubs last week, bounced back in a big way. He worked around four walks, giving up just one run on a solo homer, a much-needed course correction as the Astros evaluate their playoff rotation options.
On the offensive side, the stars delivered in a big way. Jose Altuve torched Dodgers pitching with three home runs, seven RBIs, two walks, and just one strikeout. Christian Walker matched him with six hits of his own, including a pair of long balls and six RBIs.
A shift in expectations?
This wasn’t just a series win. This was a proof of concept.
Houston came into the series already heating up, now they’re officially on fire. Over the last 30 days, the Astros rank third in runs and fifth in RBIs. For the season, they’re top 10 in nearly every key offensive category: eighth in OPS, first in batting average, ninth in slugging. Defensively, the numbers are just as strong. They lead MLB in strikeouts and opponents’ batting average, and rank second in WHIP.
Put it all together, and you’ve got a team with top-five upside in both pitching and offense. The pieces are clicking. The vibes are real. And the Astros suddenly look like a legitimate World Series contender again.
Is help on the way?
Reliever Hector Neris rejoined the team this week, offering a veteran boost to a bullpen that’s been leaned on heavily. Neris brings postseason pedigree and a reputation as a clubhouse leader. The Astros hope a return to familiar surroundings, and the guidance of one of the best pitching development staffs in the league, can get him back on track.
Tayler Scott returns on a minor league deal, and while the move may not turn heads, it adds another layer of depth to a bullpen that’s already one of the league’s best.
Background noise in LA
No Astros-Dodgers series goes by without a little extra noise and this one was no different. During the broadcast, former Cy Young winner and Dodgers analyst Orel Hershiser raised eyebrows by implying that Houston’s offensive surge might not have been entirely on the level.
Predictable? Absolutely. Meaningful? Not even close.
If anything, it’s a weird kind of compliment. No one questions legitimacy when you’re losing. But after a lopsided 18-1 beat down people start reaching for answers, or excuses.
Inside the Astros clubhouse, though, that chatter doesn’t register.
They know exactly what this sweep meant. And so does the rest of the league.
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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