ASTROS LOSE THE SERIES
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 13-9 loss
Aug 14, 2019, 5:00 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After splitting the doubleheader on Tuesday, the Astros were looking for another series win on Wednesday with Wade Miley taking the hill. Here's how the game played out.
Final Score: White Sox 13, Astros 9.
Record: 78-43, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Alex Colome (4-2, 2.30 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Ryan Pressly (2-3, 2.66 ERA).
Tough day for Wade Miley
Miley struggled against the White Sox giving up 7 runs (three earned) in only 3.1 innings pitched.
Altuve ties the game
The Astros chipped away at the White Sox and were able to tie the game in the eighth inning after a two-run homer from Jose Altuve which tied the game at 9-9.
James McCann's grand slam off Ryan Pressly puts the game out of reach
The White Sox quickly took the lead back after McCann's grand slam in the bottom of the eighth giving Chicago a 13-9 lead.
Up Next: The Astros head to Oakland to begin a four game series against the A's on Thursday at 9:07 PM Central. Aaron Sanchez (5-14, 5.60 ERA) will be on the mound to try to build on his recent success for Houston while the A's will counter with former Astro Mike Fiers (11-3, 3.30 ERA).
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Isaac Paredes has been a steady force in the middle of the Astros’ order, but a tweaked hamstring suffered during Thursday’s win over the White Sox may force Houston to recalibrate, again.
If Paredes misses time, the most logical shuffle would see Jose Altuve sliding back to second base, with Mauricio Dubón stepping in at third. It’s a reasonable patch. But internally, there’s also some intrigue around whether Cam Smith—currently thriving in right field—could slide back to his original position on the infield. The idea isn’t without merit; Smith is the club’s best offensive option at third in Paredes’ absence. But defensively, it’s hard to justify moving him right now. Smith made several standout plays in the Chicago series, reinforcing just how important his glove has become to the Astros’ outfield defense. One thing is for sure, the Astros can't afford to play both Dubon and Brendon Rodgers in the infield regularly. The offense would take a huge hit.
Timing, however, might be on Houston’s side. The next stretch of games features the Twins, Athletics, and Angels—three teams the Astros can beat even while navigating lineup instability. It helps that Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker are showing signs of life at the plate. Diaz, in particular, has been red-hot, posting an OPS north of 1.200 over the past week. Walker is batting over .300 during that same span, giving the Astros enough firepower to survive short-term turbulence.
Elsewhere, the outfield presents its own set of choices. Jacob Melton has shown enough in the field to warrant a serious look as Chas McCormick’s replacement when he returns from injury. He’s still searching for consistency at the plate, batting under .200 in his first 10 big league games. But his arm and left-handed bat give manager Joe Espada a little more lineup flexibility—especially with Yordan Alvarez still out and the offense skewing right-handed.
For now, the Astros have room to adjust. But if Paredes ends up missing significant time, they’ll need more than just a few temporary solutions to keep their momentum going.
There's 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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