ASTROS DROP THE FINALE
Astros' Hunter Brown roughed up in series-ending loss to Rays
May 21, 2025, 3:29 pm
The Rays beat the Astros, 8-4. Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images.
Yandy Díaz hit a three-run homer, among Tampa Bay's four home runs in the game, and the Rays beat the Houston Astros 8-4 on Wednesday to win their three-game series.
Díaz's shot in the bottom of the eighth followed Josh Lowe and Brandon Lowe homering back-to-back in the fifth and Curtis Mead's first of the season in the fourth.
All four homers were hit off Hunter Brown (6-3), who had allowed just two homers in his nine previous starts.
Taj Bradley (4-3), who gave up a two-run homer to Isaac Paredes in the first, went six innings, allowing just those two runs. Paredes had two home runs in the loss, and now has 10 on the season.
Paredes on a tear!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/jj37iei6i8
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 21, 2025
Key moment
Rays manager Kevin Cash was ejected for the first time this season in the top of the eighth inning. After the Astros cut the Rays’ lead to a run on a home run from Mauricio Dubón and a second homer from Paredes, Yainer Diaz was called out on a checked swing. The Astros called for a review, saying the ball hit Diaz. Cash was arguing it shouldn’t be reviewed. The call was confirmed.
Key stat
Yandy Díaz celebrated playing in his 800th career game, 711 with the Rays, with his seventh home run of 2025. He is the 33rd Cuban-born player to play in 800 major league games, including the sixth active player with Aroldis Chapman (817), Yasmani Grandal (1,307), Yuli Gurriel (943), Jose Iglesias (1,212) and Jorge Soler (1,056).
Up next
The Rays send right-hander Drew Rasmussen (2-4, 2.93 ERA) to the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays at home Friday night.
The Astros head home to open a key divisional series Thursday against the Mariners. Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 7.88 ERA) will make his fourth start since the 2022 playoffs after a rocky return from the injured list.
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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.