Oakland returns the favor and pummels the Astros
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 2 hits from the 21-7 loss
Sep 10, 2019, 10:31 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After beating the Mariners and A's with a combined score of 36-1 over the last two games, Houston looked to stay hot on offense to take the second game of this series against Oakland and continue moving towards a clinch of the division. Here is a recap of Tuesday's game:
Final Score: A's 21, Astros 7.
Record: 95-51, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Tanner Roark (10-8, 4.01 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Wade Miley (13-5, 3.74 ERA).
1) What is going on with Wade Miley?
After a horrible appearance in his last start where he had five earned runs and left the game without recording an out, Wade Miley was likely determined to get out to a quick and efficient start on Tuesday. Instead, he had an even worse performance than his last, giving up seven earned runs while getting a single out.
He allowed a lead-off single, then a one-out walk, followed by six consecutive singles which put Oakland out to an immediate 6-0 lead before A.J. Hinch would make his way to the mound and move to the bullpen. Cy Sneed would quickly warm-up and finish the first, but not before allowing another of Miley's runs. Miley's final line: 0.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 0 HR.
2) A night to forget for Houston
Unlike Miley's last disaster where he was eventually bailed out by his offense, there was no coming back for the Astros in this one. Sneed allowed four runs of his own, allowing two two-run homers with one in the second and one in the third. Joe Biagini did even worse, coming in to try and eat some innings in the fourth but instead allowing three two-run homers without getting a single out.
Devenski finished the fourth, but Oakland would get to him too, tagging him with a solo home run and an RBI-double. Framber Valdez was next and allowed the 20th run to the A's on the night on a sacrifice fly in the sixth, then one last run in the ninth, though he would finish the game.
Although futile, the Astros did get a few offensive highlights, including two-homer nights for George Springer and Martin Maldonado, and RBIs from Myles Straw, Abraham Toro, and Jake Marisnick.
Up Next: Houston will look to quickly erase this loss from their memory and take a 2-1 lead in the series with a win on Wednesday night. Game three of this four-game set will get underway at 7:10 PM, and while the A's are expected to start Brett Anderson (11-9, 4.08 ERA), the Astros will look to their bullpen to go all nine innings as they work with a four-man rotation the rest of the year.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Let’s be clear: the Astros didn’t lose their series to the Mariners just because the bullpen melted down late. They lost because the offense put them in that vulnerable position to begin with — and the decisions from the dugout didn’t help.
Houston’s bats were a no-show in Game 2 despite the win in extra innings, and it was a massive reason why their bullpen was stretched thin in the series finale. Game 3 starter, Luis F. Castillo, had more control issues than command, and handed out five walks. That should’ve been the Astros’ ticket to a win. Instead? Missed opportunities, weak contact, and a bullpen meltdown caused Houston to drop another series.
The middle of the lineup is a problem
Christian Walker has turned into a black hole in the cleanup spot. His .229 slugging percentage and .196 OBP are not typos — they’re proof that opposing pitchers can pitch around Yordan Alvarez with no fear. Walker ranks 12th-worst in baseball in OPS, and his lone RBI as a cleanup hitter is borderline unbelievable.
Isaac Paredes isn’t exactly lighting it up, either, slugging .255. If Walker wasn’t such a disaster, Paredes would likely be catching more heat. And then there’s Yainer Diaz, who’s been completely lost at the plate. The offensive struggles are deeper than one guy — they’re systemic.
The Astros currently rank dead last in MLB in slugging and doubles, plus they are second to last in OPS. Only two teams have hit fewer homers. That’s not a slump. That’s an identity crisis.
Espada’s decisions worsened the situation
Manager Joe Espada deserves his share of the blame for how the final game unfolded. With a bullpen already running on fumes, Espada pulled his best bats for defense, then rolled out minor-league caliber arms to protect a lead. If he had his full bullpen, fine. But he didn’t — and he knew it. He got greedy.
Instead of turning to Steven Okert to start the eighth after Luis Contreras survived the seventh, Espada went back to the well. That decision backfired, as it often does when a struggling pitcher has already done more than expected. Even more puzzling was the choice to use Contreras at all when Logan VanWey had just been called up. Why call him up if you’re not going to use him?
And why was Bennett Sousa in that game?
Abreu's pitch selection was asking for trouble
Bryan Abreu had multiple 0-2 counts. Inexplicably, he grooved high fastballs over the heart of the plate. Major league hitters don’t miss those very often.
Pitching strategy
Astros pitchers are consistently working deep into counts. They’re far too comfortable taking at-bats to 3-2, especially with runners on. That kind of approach balloons pitch counts, tires starters, and taxes relievers — all things this team can’t afford right now. And don't get us started on how many stolen bases they're allowing.
A Silver lining? Maybe one
Spencer Arrighetti’s fluke broken thumb is obviously unfortunate. But if you’re desperate for a silver lining, this could help limit his innings across the season and keep him fresher for the stretch run — assuming he returns to form quickly.
Bottom line
Yes, the bullpen blew it. But the offense put them in that position, and the coaching staff didn’t pull the right levers. The Astros are 5-7, but with the way they’ve played, it almost feels like they should be thankful it’s not worse. There’s time to turn it around — but it starts with accountability, and the bats doing their part.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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