The Astros came into the third game of this series looking for a series win. Here's a quick rundown and four points from the game:
Final Score: Astros 11, Rangers 4
Record: 25-15, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Gerrit Cole (4-4, 3.88 ERA)
Losing pitcher: Drew Smyly (0-3, 6.85 ERA)
1. The Cole Train ran on full steam
Gerrit Cole pitched his worst start this season against the Texas Rangers. In fact, he entered tonight's game 0-2 with a 9.58 ERA in his two starts against them this season. Despite giving a line drive HR to Hunter Pence, Cole struck out FIVE in the first two innings. He struck out two more in the third. Cole was challenged in the fourth, but back to back strike outs to Gallo and Pence got him out of the inning stranding Santana at third. For those keeping score, Cole had nine strike outs through four. Odor and Guzman were victims to Cole's strike out in the fifth. With runners on third and second, Cole got Gallos looking with a 100 mile an hour fast ball to end the inning and earn his twelfth strike out of the night. He tied Brad Peacock for the most strike outs by a starter this season with twelve.
2. Aledmys Diaz with his biggest moment as an Astro
In the sixth inning, in a on run game, Aledmys Diaz answered the call for the offense. With two outs, Diaz hit a Grand Slam to the Crawford Boxes. The bottom of the order was what got the Astros the win last night with three solo HRs. The bottom of the order, tonight, set themselves up for the nine hole hitter to bring them all home in the biggest moment in his Astro tenure.
3. Devo makes things interesting before the Bullpen settles things down
After a shut down start from Cole and a gushing Grand Slam from Diaz, Chris Devenski entered the seventh striking out Hunter Pence. He then gave up singles to Odor and Cabrera before Guzman hit a bomb to the upper deck in right field to cut the Astros lead to 6-4. Hector Rondon would get the last out of the inning striking out Santana. Josh James entered the 8th with a five run cushion and got out of the inning with two strike outs. James would get two more strike outs in the 9th to rack up a total of four, 18 as a staff for the night.
4. The two out magic was in full effect
What did Josh Reddick's RBI single, Aledmys Diaz' Grand Slam, Tyler White's RBI single, Robinson Chirinos' two RBI single, Carlos Correa's RBI single, and Yuli Gurriel's RBI single have in common? Well, aside from obviously putting points on the board, they were all runs scored when the Astros were at bat with two outs. 10 of the Astros' 11 runs came with two outs.
Up Next: Nothing better than a Sunday day game at Minute Maid Park. A 1:00 start on Mothers Day. The Astros will look to sweep the series as Corbin Martin makes his Major League debut. He was 1-1 with a 1.48 ERA in five games for Triple A Round Rock. The Rangers will counter with Adrian Sampson (0-2, 4.41 ERA)
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
