GURRIEL'S MASSIVE DAY LEADS TO ANOTHER EASY WIN
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 14-3 win
Aug 7, 2019, 4:17 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
The Astros wrapped up their brief two-game series with Colorado in a Wednesday afternoon game. Here is a quick rundown of the final matchup of the quick two-game series:
Final Score: 14-3 Astros.
Record: 75-40, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Gerrit Cole, 14-5.
Losing pitcher: Peter Lambert, 2-3.
1) Oh, Yuli
Yuli Gurriel matched an Astros record with 8 RBI in one game, almost singlehandly beating the Rockies. Gurriel finished 2 for 4 and had a three-run homer, a double with the bases loaded, a sac fly and a fielder's choice RBI. But the offense was so good, they did not even need Gurriel to win this one. Alex Bregman also drove in three runs and the Astros put up a 9-spot on Colorado's starter, Lambert.
2) Cole blooded
Cole did his thing once again, tossing six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out 10. Cole did not walk a batter. The Cy Young race appears to be down to Cole and teammate Justin Verlander.
3) How good is Yordan Alvarez?
No, he didn't drive in a run. But he added another three hits. The league has had plenty of time to adjust to him, and yet he is still hitting .340. Today was Gurriel's day, but the Astros are loaded with players who can dominant a game at any given time. Alvarez is yet another of those to go along with Gurriel, Carlos Correa, George Springer and Jose Altuve. What a huge addition.
Up next
The Astros get a day off before heading to Baltimore for a three-game series against the struggling Orioles. The Astros will send out Wade Miley on Friday, Aaron Sanchez on Saturday and Justin Verlander on Sunday. The Orioles have the second worst record in the American League.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Nick Kurtz became the first major league rookie to hit four homers in a game, leading the Athletics to a 15-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
Kurtz went 6-for-6 with eight RBIs and six runs scored. He’s just the second player in Major League Baseball history to have four homers in a six-hit game, joining Shawn Green of the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 23, 2002 at Milwaukee, and he matched Green’s MLB record with 19 total bases.
It was the first six-hit game for the Athletics since Joe DeMaestri on July 8, 1955 at Detroit.
The 22-year-old also had a single and a double that hit just below the yellow line over the visitor’s bullpen in the fourth inning.
Kurtz singled in the first and his two-run homer in the second put the Athletics ahead 5-0. His solo shot in the sixth made it 10-2. His third homer was his longest, a 414-foot drive into the second deck in the eighth.
Kurtz’s final homer came against outfielder Cooper Hummel, a three-run, opposite-field line drive to the Crawford boxes in left field that made it 15-2.
Kurtz extended his hitting streak to 12 games and his 23 home runs are the most for an A’s rookie since Yoenis Céspedes in 2012 and fourth most in franchise history.
Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers also homered for the A’s, who had a season high in runs.
Jeffrey Springs (9-7) allowed two runs over six innings. Zack Short hit a two-run homer for Houston in the fifth.
Ryan Gusto (6-4) allowed eight runs on eight hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Key moment
Hummel had allowed one run and retired two batters in the ninth when Kurtz hit a 77 mph, 2-0 pitch for his fourth homer.
Key stat
Kurtz is batting .553 (26 for 47) with nine homers and 20 RBIs during his 12-game hitting streak.
Up next
Houston RHP Hunter Brown (9-4 2.57 ERA) opposes LHP Jacob Lopez (3-6 4.60 ERA) when the series continues Saturday.