STAR POWER
How the Astros can get back on track after dropping 3 straight
Apr 13, 2021, 5:17 pm
No need to panic. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images.
After a 5-1 record to start the season, the Astros looked to continue their winning ways at home in front of their fans for the first time since Game 7 of the 2019 World Series against the Washington Nationals.
"It was a beautiful night," José Altuve said. "Kind of like a dream come true."
After receiving some harsh (yet sometimes funny) criticism from opposing fans to start the season, the Astros were welcomed back with open arms. Manager Dusty Baker said the crowd had an effect on the game as well.
"It made a big difference," manager Dusty Baker said. "I could see the positive energy on our team."
The Astros won their home opener 6-2 behind a good start from Cristian Javier (1-0) who threw 5 scoreless innings and gave up three hits with seven strikeouts.
Houston also received some production from their bats as Carlos Correa, Yordan Alvarez and Atluve all homered to help the Astros increase their record to 6-1 to start the season.
The Astros outscored their opponents 52-19 their first seven games of the season and Michael Brantley led the team with a .538 batting average. The Astros top 6 hitters were all batting over .300 during this 6-1 stretch.
This would unfortunately be the peak of their young season. After their home opener, the Astros would go on to lose their next three games. (Two losses to the A's and one loss to the Tigers).
How the Astros can get back on track
The Astros were outscored 19-7 during this losing streak and left a total of 22 runners on base.
Pitchers Jose Urquidy and Zack Greinke combined to give up 11 runs in back-to-back starts. This in addition to their inability to drive in runs consistently is what ultimately lead to their current 3-game losing streak.
The Astros currently sit at 6-4 and are in second place behind the Los Angeles Angels (7-4) in the American League West.
A three-game losing streak only 10 games into the 2021 season is hardly a cause for concern as the Astros still have one of the most potent offenses in the league and have the pitching to compete with any team in the big leagues.
ONE THING TO NOTE: This was AJ Hinch's first game since getting let go from the Astros in early 2020. The former Astros' manager received a video tribute prior to Monday's game against the Tigers, and got a standing ovation when his name was announced as the Tigers' manager.
"This place is very special to me," Hinch said. "It's the only time I've ever been uncomfortable in this setting, in this building. I really do appreciate it. It touched me. I wanted to get out and tip my cap and then get back in before I showed too much emotion."
UP NEXT: Jake Odorizzi will make his season debut when the series continues Tuesday night after signing with the Astros on March 8th. He will be facing left-hander Matthew Boyd as the Astros look to even the series against the Tigers.
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Marcell Ozuna hit his major league-leading eighth homer and Orlando Arcia’s RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
It completes a three-game sweep of the struggling Astros and is Atlanta’s fourth straight victory.
The Braves scored two runs in the eighth inning to tie it at 4-4. Michael Harris II started the 10th as the automatic runner on second and there was one out in the inning when Seth Martinez (1-1) intentionally walked Matt Olson.
Ozuna lined out to right field to send Harris to third base. Arcia then singled on a ground ball to left field to score Harris and put the Braves on top.
Pinch-runner Jake Meyers was on second when Kyle Tucker walked with no outs in the 10th. Meyers moved to third on a fly out by Yainer Diaz but Jeremy Peña grounded into a double play to end it.
A.J. Minter (3-1) got the last two outs of the ninth for the win and Raisel Iglesias earned his fifth save.
Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. added his first homer of the season to help the Braves to the victory. Ozuna also leads the majors with 23 RBIs and he extended his hitting streak to 16 games, which ties his career best and is the longest active streak in the majors.
Yordan Alvarez and Mauricio Dubón both homered for the Astros, who fell to 6-14 and are last in the AL West.
There was one out in the first when Alvarez connected on his homer to the seats in left field to put Houston up 1-0.
Ozuna opened the second with his 432-foot shot to left field, which bounced off the wall and tied the game.
Acuña put the Braves up 2-1 when he sent the first pitch of the fifth inning to straightaway center field.
The Astros tied it on an RBI single by Alex Bregman in the fifth and Kyle Tucker’s RBI double came next to put the Astros up 3-2.
Dubón hit his first home run of the year off Jesse Chavez to start Houston’s sixth and push the lead to 4-2.
Harris singled to start the seventh before a ground-rule double by Austin Riley. Olson reached, and Harris scored on a fielding error by first baseman José Abreu when he couldn’t grab a routine ground ball.
There was one out in the inning when Riley scored on a sacrifice fly by Arcia to tie it at 4-all.
Houston starter J.P. France allowed four hits and two runs in five innings.
Max Fried gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta is off Thursday before opening a series against Texas on Friday night with LHP Chris Sale (1-1, 4.58 ERA) on the mound.
Astros: Houston is also off Thursday before ace Justin Verlander will make his season debut Friday night against Washington. The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.