Crushed it!
Astros blank Cardinals behind big nights from Meyers and Brown
Apr 16, 2025, 8:20 am
The Astros beat the Cardinals, 2-0. Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.
Jake Meyers had three hits and drove in a run, Hunter Brown threw six shutout innings, to lead the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Yordan Alverez hit a leadoff homer in the eighth off reliever Kyle Leahy.
Brown (2-1), making his first career appearance against the Cardinals, allowed four hits in pitching his fourth quality start of the season. He struck out four and walked two.
Josh Hader pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save.
Cardinals starter Erick Fedde (1-2) gave up six hits and three walks in six innings while striking out five. It was his third quality start in four outings this season.
Meyers, who entered the game hitless in his previous nine at-bats, gave Houston the lead in the sixth inning.
Jeremy Peña led off with a double to left. With one out, Meyers hit a single to right that landed just in front of a diving Jordan Walker. Peña never hesitated as he rounded third and slid home to beat the throw. Fedde got of out of the inning when he snagged a line drive from Cam Smith that hit his glove and popped up and back in before he threw to first to double up Peña.
Key moment
With the bases loaded and two outs, Fedde escaped when Jose Altuve flew out to center field to end the fourth inning. In the second inning with the bases full, Fedde escaped on a flyball to right field by Mauricio Dubón.
Key stat
Brendan Donovan doubled in the fourth inning to extend his major league-best hitting streak to 11 games. He is leading the National League in hitting at .382.
Up next
Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (1-1, 6.94) faces off against Cardinals LHP Steven Matz (0-0, 1.93) in the final game of the series on Wednesday.
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Astros show signs of life in blowout win over Brewers
May 7, 2025, 3:25 pm
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.
The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.
“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.
Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.
He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.
“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”
His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.