TALE OF THE TAPE
Astros-Reds opener could hinge on these critical factors
May 9, 2025, 12:30 pm
Hunter Brown takes the hill for Houston Friday night. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Astros (18-18) return home Friday night to open a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds (19-20), with first pitch set for 8:10 p.m. EDT at Daikin Park.
Riding the arm of one of baseball’s hottest starters, Houston hands the ball to Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67 ERA), who has been dominant through his first seven starts. Brown enters the game with a sparkling 0.88 WHIP and 49 strikeouts, looking to keep the Astros trending in the right direction.
Cincinnati counters with right-hander Nicholas Martinez (1-3, 4.19 ERA), who has been steady but not overpowering, and will face an Astros lineup that’s shown signs of life, hitting .269 over its last 10 games.
At 11-7 at home, Houston has played solid baseball, but has struggled in close contests, going just 3-5 in one-run games. The Reds arrive having dropped seven of their last 10 and are hitting just .205 in that stretch. Their .242 team batting average ranks ninth in the National League, but they’ve been outscored by 14 runs over the past 10 games.
Jeremy Peña continues to pace the Astros’ offense with 11 extra-base hits, while catcher Yainer Diaz has been red-hot, batting .342 with two homers and eight RBIs over the last 10 games. For Cincinnati, Gavin Lux and Jose Trevino have done the heavy lifting lately, but the lineup as a whole has scuffled.
With the BetMGM line favoring the Astros at -178 and an over/under of 7.5, this one projects as a pitcher’s duel—especially if Brown continues to deal.
Friday marks the first meeting between these two teams this season.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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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.