Astros get a shutout win against the Angels
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 2 hits from the 4-0 win
Sep 27, 2019, 11:45 pm
Astros get a shutout win against the Angels
With a tough loss on Thursday to start this final four-game series of the season, Houston looked to extend their franchise-record winning season and stay on top of the race for home-field advantage through the World Series. Here is a quick look at Friday's game in Los Angeles against the Angels:
Final Score: Astros 4, Angels 0.
Record: 105-55, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Jose Urquidy (2-1, 3.95 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Patrick Sandoval (0-4, 5.03 ERA).
While Wade Miley was unable to put together an impressive enough start the night before to fully secure trust in him as the fourth starter in Houston's rotation, Jose Urquidy took advantage of an opportunity on Friday night. He gave his team six shutout innings, showcasing his upside as a possible starter.
While it may not have won him the fourth spot in the playoff rotation since Wade Miley may still receive the benefit of the doubt, it was nonetheless a welcome sight to see him perform well. Urquidy's final line: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR.
On the other side, the Astros were not able to put up much offense either in the early goings of the game, save a solo home run by Alex Bregman to lead off the top of the second which gave Houston the 1-0 lead they held through Urquidy's six innings and beyond.
6 homers in 11 games. @ABREG_1 is locked in. pic.twitter.com/eeouDL9xoH
— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2019
Ryan Pressly took to the mound in the bottom of the seventh and had a quick 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts. In the top of the eighth, the Astros were able to tack on to their lead after putting two runners on to set up a three-run homer for Michael Brantley to make it 4-0 Houston.
In the bottom of that inning, Will Harris tossed three strikeouts on nine pitches, all pitches resulting in strikes swinging or looking, an immaculate inning. Josh James closed things out in the ninth, securing home-field advantage for the Astros through at least the American League playoffs.
Up Next: Justin Verlander (20-6, 2.53 ERA) will make his final, likely abbreviated, start on Saturday as the Astros play the Angels again at 8:07 PM. Jose Suarez (2-4, 7.34 ERA) is the expected starter for Los Angeles.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
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