Houston is on a rough losing streak
Astros trounced by Kershaw and Dodgers in series opener
May 25, 2021, 10:38 pm
Houston is on a rough losing streak
The Astros couldn't keep up with Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers Tuesday night.
After a disappointing series in Arlington, where they were swept over three games, the Astros returned to a full-capacity Minute Maid Park to start a new homestand. First up was a two-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who would get the better of Houston and Zack Greinke to take the opener.
Final Score: Dodgers 9, Astros 2
Astros' Record: 26-22, second in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (7-3)
Losing Pitcher: Zack Greinke (4-2)
The game's first three innings lived up to the high expectation of a pitching matchup between Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw. Both starters retired the opposing lineup in order the first time, leaving all zeroes on the scoreboard after three innings. A leadoff walk to Mookie Betts by Greinke in the top of the fourth proved costly, as Justin Turner would follow with the first hit of the game, a two-run homer to put the Dodgers in front 2-0.
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— MLB (@MLB) May 26, 2021
Houston would get their first knock in the bottom of the inning but would otherwise continue to struggle against Kershaw while bringing no runs across. Greinke rebounded from the two-run fourth with a 1-2-3 fifth but would then unravel in the sixth. After two outs, he would load the bases on a single and two walks, then giving up a two-RBI single to Chris Taylor, extending LA's lead to 4-0. He would finish that inning but go no further. His final line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 88 P.
Joe Smith was the first reliever to take the mound and allowed a leadoff single, which would come around to score and make it a 5-0 game after another single and a wild pitch. Alex Bregman would finally get the Astros on the board and give Kershaw his first blemish of the day, launching a leadoff solo homer to start the bottom of the seventh.
After getting the last out of the seventh, Enoli Paredes continued on the mound in the top of the eighth, getting two outs while loading the bases on a single, a walk, and a hit batter, prompting a pitching change to bring in Kent Emanuel. Emanuel would face just one batter, allowing a four-pitch walk before his low velocity would prompt trainers out, ultimately removing him from the game. Andre Scrubb would enter quickly, but he too would struggle, issuing two more bases-loaded walks to make it 8-1 before getting the third out to end the suffering.
Scrubb returned to try and eat up the top of the ninth but would again struggle, loading the bases on two walks and a single before allowing another run to make it 9-1 before getting out of it. Houston would salvage a run in the bottom of the ninth on an error, but it would make no difference as the Astros would lose their fourth straight game.
Up Next: The second game of this quick two-game set will be slightly earlier on Wednesday, with a start time of 6:40 PM Central. Luis Garcia (2-3, 3.38 ERA) will start for the Astros, while Trevor Bauer (5-2, 1.98 ERA) will go for the Dodgers.
Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists and the Houston Rockets beat the short-handed Denver Nuggets 128-108 on Wednesday night.
Green, who hit six 3-pointers, continued his recent scoring surge. He is averaging 32 points in Houston's last six games, including a career-best 42 points against Memphis on Monday.
Fred VanVleet added 16 points, eight assists and three steals for the Rockets, who beat Denver for the fifth time in six meetings.
The Nuggets were without two of their five leading scorers in reigning league MVP Nikola Jokic (right elbow inflammation) and Aaron Gordon (right calf injury).
Jamal Murray and Christian Braun each scored 22 point for Denver, which had 18 turnovers in the loss, including five apiece from its starting backcourt of Murray and Russell Westbrook.
Rockets: Houston won its fifth in a row and improved to 10-3 in its last 13 games to solidify its standing as the No. 2 team in the Western Conference.
Nuggets: Denver, which had won eight of its previous 10 games, absorbed its most lopsided defeat since a 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks on Nov. 25.
Houston opened the second quarter on an 8-2 run that was capped off by a corner 3 by former Nugget Jeff Green that stretched the Rockets' lead to 11 points. Houston outscored Denver 41-25 in the period to take a 69-48 lead into halftime.
The loss was Denver’s eighth in 20 home games this season, matching the Nuggets’ home loss total across 41 regular-season games in 2023-24.
Houston continues its three-game road swing Thursday at Sacramento. The Nuggets are back in action Friday at the Miami Heat.