ASTROS REPORT
Here are the critical factors that helped Houston climb to top of AL West
Jun 21, 2021, 3:21 pm
The Astros are on a roll. Composite image by Jack Brame.
The Astros have won seven consecutive games, and are coming off a 6-0 homestead against the Texas Rangers and the Chicago White Sox.
Houston now sits atop the American League West over the Oakland A's and are currently in first place in the American League.
Only the San Francisco Giants and Los Angles Dodgers have a better record than the Astros in all of Major League Baseball.
Last week saw a flair for the dramatic on multiple occasions, and showcased why the Astros are one of the best offensive teams in baseball.
Jose Altuve had himself a week to say the least. It started Tuesday when the former MVP hit a walk-off grand slam to give Houston a 6-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. He followed that up with a leadoff homer to start the game Wednesday, becoming the first player in major league history to hit a walk-off grand slam then a leadoff home run in consecutive at-bats. Altuve is steadily increasing his batting average week by week and making a case he belongs in this year's All-Star Game in July.
Speaking of All-Star candidates, Yordan Alvarez is making a case that he is one of the best designated hitters in the league.
The Cuban slugger is riding a 7-game hitting streak, and on Friday he hit a game-ending double in the 9th to give the Astros a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Carlos Correa continues to rake and hit bombs during the Astros winning streak. The All-Star caliber shortstop increased his batting average from .288 to .296 this week and hit three homers to complete his week.
The injury bug bit the Astros last week, with Alex Bregman going on the injured list with a strained left quad and Kyle Tucker placed on the COVID-19 health and safety protocols list. Players who have stepped up in their absences are Chas McCormick, Robel Garcia, and Abraham Toro. All three of these Astros have been filling in nicely. Toro had his first 4-hit game of his big league career Sunday against the White Sox and looks to be the everyday 3rd baseman until Bregman returns from the injured list. There is no timetable for Bregman's return, so Toro could be playing third base for a while.
Houston's starting pitching has been lights out during this winning streak. In their last four games, the Astros' pitchers gave gone at least 6 innings. There is a dilemma as to who would be the 5th starter in this rotation, Lance McCullers or Jake Odorizzi. The Astros will probably go with a 6-man rotation for the time being, but one can never have too many starting pitchers.
Up Next: The Astros start a 7-game road trip for three games in Baltimore against the Orioles and four games against the Detroit Tigers.
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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.