Astros come back from 7-0 deficit to win in extras
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 4 hits from the 11-9 win
Sep 5, 2019, 11:51 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
After ending their recent road trip with a loss against the Brewers before a day off, the Astros started Thursday 1.5 games behind the Yankees for the best record in the American League. They had an excellent opportunity to make up some ground with a four-game set with the Mariners. Here is a quick rundown of the opener:
Final Score (13 innings): Astros 11, Mariners 9.
Record: 91-50, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Josh James (5-0, 4.64 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Matt Wisler (3-4, 5.18 ERA).
1) Miley can't record a single out as Mariners blow it open early
Wade Miley had a terrible appearance on the mound on Thursday night. He faced a total of six batters and did not record an out against any of them. Instead, he allowed four runs on three hits and a home run, then put runners on first and second before A.J. Hinch would give him the hook.
Cy Sneed was given the task of a quick warmup and entry into the game and was able to get the three outs despite allowing Miley's fifth earned run. Miley's final line: 0.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR.
After allowing the run in the first, Sneed would also struggle with Seattle's lineup, giving up a two-run home run in the top of the second to extend the Mariners' lead to 7-0.
2) Houston chips away at the lead as Tucker gets his first homer
Houston's batters did not throw in the towel; they tried to shake Marco Gonzalez and start chipping away at the lead. In the bottom of the second, they were able to get runners on second and third with no outs. They would score one on a wild pitch but waste an opportunity for more.
Alex Bregman cut the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the third on a two-RBI double. Jose Urquidy took over on the mound out of Houston's bullpen in the top of the fourth and worked around a leadoff walk for a scoreless inning then followed that up with a 1-2-3 fifth.
After another scoreless inning by Urquidy in the top of the sixth, Kyle Tucker finally notched his first major-league home run with a solo shot to lead off the bottom of the inning. Josh Reddick hit another one out later, making it a two-run game at 7-5.
After blasting a career-high 34 homers this year in #MiLB, Kyle Tucker hit his first #MLB homer tonight for the #Astros. pic.twitter.com/312aP1SHA0
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 6, 2019
3) Houston ties the game in the eighth
Seattle moved the lead back to three runs in the top of the seventh, getting a solo home run off of Urquidy to make it 8-5. Joe Biagini was the next reliever out and provided a 1-2-3 top of the eighth, then Houston went to work in the bottom half. They put two on base with a hit batter and walk, setting up Jose Altuve for a two-RBI triple to cut the lead to one run at 8-7, then Michael Brantley hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 8-8 after the Astros had been down 7-0 after the first two innings.
Joe Smith tried to keep it tied and give the Astros a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth by throwing a scoreless top half and was able to get two of three batters out before Roberto Osuna took over for the final out. In the bottom of the ninth, Houston struck out in order, sending the game to extras.
4) Astros complete the comeback in extras
Osuna remained on the mound in the top of the tenth and worked around a one-out walk to keep the game tied. The Mariners did the same, pushing the game another inning where Hector Rondon pitched for Houston in the top of the eleventh. He kept Seattle off the bases, giving his offense yet another chance to finish the comeback.
In the bottom of the eleventh, the top of the Astros' order would strike out in order. Josh James had the top of the twelfth and would allow a one-out solo home run to put the Mariners back in front 9-8 before getting out of the inning. Houston would get a runner on base in the bottom of the inning, brought in Myles Straw to run, and that paid dividends as he would score from second on an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker to re-tie the game 9-9 and keep it going to the thirteenth.
Despite allowing the home run in the inning prior, James would remain in the game for the top of the thirteenth and struck out the side in order. Jake Marisnick led the bottom of the inning off with a walk, but Michael Brantley wouldn't need it with a walk-off home run to complete the comeback.
Up Next: This series will continue with another game on Friday night and another 7:10 PM start. The expected starting pitchers are Tommy Milone (3-8, 4.90 ERA) for the Mariners going against Framber Valdez (4-7, 5.55 ERA) for the Astros.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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The Texans make just their third ever visit to Lambeau Field Sunday. It’s a dandy matchup as the Texans try to run their record to 6-1 at the expense of the 4-2 Green Bay Packers. The Texans have one win and one loss in Wisconsin. In 2008 the gameday high temperature was 13 degrees. Kris Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to give the Texans a 24-21 win over a Packers team that struggled to a 6-10 record under first-year starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Texans posted their second consecutive 8-8 finish that year. In 2016 the mercury reached a balmy high of 34 degrees as the Texans fell 21-13 at Lambeau. Inexplicably, Rodgers somehow managed to win the quarterback matchup with Brock Osweiler. The Texans and Packers each won their division that year. Both Texans’ trips to “America’s Dairyland” occurred in December. No risk of frozen tundra this time around. The forecast for Green Bay Sunday calls for a high of 75 degrees! That’s almost 20 degrees warmer than normal there for October 20.
It’s a dynamic QB matchup with C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love sharing the field. Love broke out in a huge way in 2023 after serving a two-year apprenticeship under Rodgers. After a stumbling 3-6 start to their season the Packers went 6-2 the rest of the way to snag a playoff spot. They obliterated the Cowboys in a Wild Card game in Arlington (before everyone obliterated the Cowboys in Arlington...) then led at the 49ers with under 90 seconds to go before San Francisco scored to win 24-21. The Packers made crystal clear their belief in Love by signing him to a four-year 220 million dollar contract extension in July. That’s 55 mil per season. Stroud becomes extension-eligible after next season. Anyone think he won’t be in position to command at least 65 mil per season?
Stroud sure looks to be the guy to finally give the Texans the long-term stability and excellence they have never had at the most important position in the sport. The Pack is all in on Love continuing its unreal long-term QB stability and excellence. Love took the reins after Rodgers helmed the offense for 15 seasons. Rodgers took the reins after Brett Favre’s 16-year tenure. So if Love makes it for nine years as the starter, that’s three primary QBs in 40 years. Absolutely amazing.
After missing two games because of a sprained knee ligament suffered in the final seconds of the Packers’ season opening loss to the Eagles in Brazil, Love has thrown 10 touchdown passes in three games. But he has only completed 59 percent of his passes, and has thrown at least one interception per game.
The Texans’ first trip to the NFC North this season went brutally badly, the 34-7 beatdown from Minnesota. The Vikings beat the Packers 31-29 in week four of the season. That was Love’s first game back, he threw four touchdown passes and three picks. One defensive weapon the Texans will have against the Pack they did not have against the Vikes is Denico Autry. The 34-year-old Autry returns from his six-game banned substance suspension. That happens as one of the fill-ins for him, Mario Edwards, starts his own four-game substance abuse suspension. That should be a net improvement for the Texans.
X-factors
The single biggest variable in swinging the outcome of football games is turnovers. So far this season the Packers have been a takeaway machine. Last season the Packers generated just 18 turnovers over their 17 regular season games, only six teams took the ball away less often. Through just six games this season the Packers already have 17 takeaways. No other NFL team has more than 13, the Texans have just seven. The Packers have produced exactly three turnovers in five of their six games, and got two in the other. Every defense preaches turnovers, so it’s not as if first-year Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has introduced radical concepts that are yielding magical results. But the results are what they are.
If the Texans take care of the ball, they have a terrific chance to win. Having Joe Mixon back aids the cause on two fronts. One, Mixon is obviously the Texans’ best running back. Two, Mixon last fumbled in 2021. The Texans probably best plan to score 25 or more points to win this one because the Packers figure to score a bit. In Love’s four starts the Pack has lit the scoreboard for 29, 29, 24, and 34 points. On the other hand, the Texans’ D has been pretty stout, allowing the third-fewest yards per game (Green Bay rates 18th). It’s a strength vs. strength battle. The Texans have allowed no opponent more than 313 yards in total offense. The Packers have amassed at least 378 yards in five of their six games, and managed 328 in their worst performance.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
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