Houston's bats power up again
Astros pound Rangers to win fourth straight game
May 14, 2021, 10:13 pm
Kyle Tucker's hot streak continued Friday night. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Kyle Tucker's hot streak continued Friday night.
After taking the first game of this series in wild fashion in extras the night prior, the Astros tried to get their fourth straight win on Friday night at home against the Rangers. They would get a nice start from Zack Greinke, but Houston's offense was the star of the show again, powering past Texas.
Final Score: Astros 10, Rangers 4
Astros' Record: 22-17, second in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Zack Greinke (3-1)
Losing Pitcher: Wes Benjamin (0-2)
Houston puts up double digits
The Astros were able to jump out to a large lead Friday night and never looked back. It started with a three-run second, with RBI singles by Kyle Tucker and Myles Straw and a sac fly by Michael Brantley. Tucker started the scoring in another multi-run inning in the bottom of the third, getting his second RBI single in as many innings, leaving the bases loaded.
Straw followed with an RBI walk, as did Martin Maldonado next, before a fourth run in the frame would score on a double play, putting Houston at seven runs. After a scoreless fourth, Straw would get another RBI in the bottom of the fifth on a single, then Maldonado made it double digits with a two-run homer.
Greinke rebounds from recent struggles
After three straight disappointing starts where he lasted just four innings while allowing multiple runs, Zack Greinke would get back on track in this start. He allowed a run in the top of the third, another in the top of the fourth, then a final one in the top of the seventh, but would otherwise navigate his way to a quality start and his third win of the season by lasting seven innings. His final line: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 103 P.
Astros extend winning streak to four games
Kent Emanuel was first out of the Houston bullpen, taking over for Greinke in the top of the eighth. He allowed a two-out solo home run to make it a 10-4 game, retiring the other three batters he faced. Joe Smith entered to finish things off in the ninth, extending Houston's winning streak to four games.
Up Next: The third of this four-game set will be an hour earlier on Saturday, starting at 6:10 PM Central. Luis Garcia (0-3, 3.60 ERA) will try to get his first win of the season and help Houston win this series, while Dane Dunning (2-2, 3.78 ERA) will go for the Rangers.
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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.