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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Roman Anthony lined a fly ball over drawn-in center fielder Chas McCormick’s head to score the automatic runner from third, and the Boston Red Sox rallied in the 10th inning to beat the new-look Houston Astros 2-1 on Friday night.
Boston trailed 1-0 on Christian Walker’s second-inning home run before tying it in the seventh on Wilyer Abreu’s sacrifice fly.
With Abreu starting the bottom of the 10th on second base, Ceddanne Rafaela tried unsuccessfully to bunt him to third before swinging away -- and hitting the ball just a few feet in front of the plate. Catcher Yanier Diaz tried to get Abreu at third, but his throw was late.
Anthony lined a 2-2 pitch to center. McCormick ran after it and it flew just beyond his glove for what was scored as a walk-off single.
Greg Weissert (4-3) pitched a perfect 10th for the win as the Red Sox won for the fifth time in six games to reach a season-high nine games above .500.
Bennett Sousa (5-1) failed to get an out in picking up his first career loss.
Christian Walker homered, Hunter Brown took a shutout into the seventh inning and Jeremy Peña had three hits for Houston. Trade deadline acquisition Jesús Sánchez had two hits and Carlos Correa went hitless in his return to the team that picked him No. 1 overall in 2012 and re-acquired on Thursday the AL West-leading Astros loaded up in their quest for a ninth straight postseason appearance.
Key moment
In the top of the 10th, the Astros had a runner on third with one out when Mauricio Dubón hit a grounder to short and Trevor Story threw home to keep the go-ahead run from scoring.
Key stat
Bregman, who played his first nine years in Houston, singled in each of his first two career at-bats against the Astros.
Up next
Red Sox RHP Walker Buehler (6-6) will face Astros LHP Colton Gordon (4-3) on Saturday.