George Springer backs up Gerrit Cole to get the win
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 2 hits from the 4-1 win
Sep 13, 2019, 10:14 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
With a disappointing three-game skid to end the four-game series with Oakland at home, the Astros went on the road to try and get things back on track. Here is a recap of the first of three games against the Royals in Kansas City:
Final Score: Astros 4, Royals 1.
Record: 96-53, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Gerrit Cole (17-5, 2.62 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Heath Fillmyer (0-2, 8.68 ERA).
1) Cole wins the pitcher's duel through the first eight innings
The Astros had one run in the early goings of the game, and it came off the bat of Jose Altuve. He launched a one-out solo home run in the top of the first, giving Houston a quick 1-0 lead in the game in Kansas City.
That proved to be a pivotal run, with both Danny Duffy and Gerrit Cole battling each other in a pitcher's duel in the game. Cole would do better, outlasting Duffy to complete seven scoreless innings. However, a broken-bat leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth would be costly for Cole and the Astros.
Bubba Starling reached on the single to start the inning, then would steal second and induce an errant throw to advance to third, setting up a sacrifice fly to tie the game 1-1 and end Cole's shutout bid. Cole's final line: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 0 HR.
2) Springer's Dinger makes the difference
In the top of the ninth, Kyle Tucker hit a one-out single to put the go-ahead run on base, then Michael Brantley followed with a pinch-hit walk. They would both come around to score on a two-out go-ahead three-run homer by George Springer, catapulting the Astros ahead 4-1.
9th inning, tie-breaking #SpringerDinger. 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/eibvhI6yCw
— MLB (@MLB) September 14, 2019
Roberto Osuna took over for Cole to finish things off in the ninth, and did so to get the Astros back in the win column and improve their record to 96-53 on the sesaon.
Up Next: This series between Houston and Kansas City will continue with game two of three on Saturday at 6:15 PM. The expected pitching matchup is Mike Montgomery (2-6, 4.29 ERA) on the mound for the Royals and Zack Greinke (15-5, 2.99 ERA) on the bump for the Astros.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.