Houston's four-game streak is snapped

Astros held to one run as Angels salvage a game in series finale

Astros' Lance McCullers Jr.
Lance McCullers Jr. received his first road loss of the season on Sunday in the finale against the Angels. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Lance McCullers Jr. received his first road loss of the season on Sunday in the finale against the Angels.

Winners of their last four games, and having already secured the victory in this three-game series by winning the first two matchups, the Astros looked to keep their momentum going into Sunday's finale. Instead, the Angels grabbed momentum to hold Houston's offense at bay to salvage a win in the series.

Final Score: Angels 3, Astros 1

Astros' Record: 70-47, first in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Reid Detmers (1-2)

Losing Pitcher: Lance McCullers Jr. (9-4)

McCullers Jr. gets his first road loss of 2021

Lance McCullers Jr. dealt with some high-stress situations early in his start. He worked around a single in the first, but in the bottom of the second would load the bases on a single, walk, and hit batter. He got out of it in a big way, striking out MVP hopeful Shohei Ohtani to end the inning and get out of the jam.

After Michael Brantley gave him a lead with a solo homer in the top of the inning to go ahead 1-0, McCullers Jr. rebounded with a 1-2-3 third inning, then did the same in the fourth. LA would get on the board against him in the fifth, getting back-to-back one-out singles to get a runner to third to set up an RBI groundout to tie the game. They pressured him again in the bottom of the sixth, getting a leadoff double and a one-out bunt single to set up another RBI groundout, this one to take a 2-1 lead and end McCullers Jr.'s day and send him on the way to his first road loss of the year. His final line: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 108 P.

Houston drops the finale

After Ryne Stanek came in to get the final out of the sixth, Cristian Javier took over out of the bullpen in the 2-1 game in the bottom of the seventh. He got through that frame without trouble, but after returning in the bottom of the eighth, he would watch a one-out homer fly out to extend the Angels' lead to 3-1 before he finished the inning. That score would go final as Houston's offense would get held to just the lone run off of the bat of Brantley back in the third inning. The loss snapped Houston's four-game streak and prevented them from getting the series sweep as they head out to their next destination.

Up Next: With this series in the books, Houston will travel to Kansas City for the next part of this road trip. They'll kick off a four-game set with the Royals on Monday at 7:10 PM Central, with an anticipated pitching matchup of Jake Odorizzi (5-6, 4.59 ERA) for Houston and Carlos Hernandez (3-1, 4.11 ERA) for Kansas City.

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Astros turn it on late in gutsy win over Tigers

Has Christian Walker finally turned the corner? Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

The Houston Astros return to Daikin Park on Tuesday night looking to keep their momentum going as they host the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET, with Ryan Gusto (3-1, 2.78 ERA) on the mound for Houston against Detroit’s Reese Olson (3-1, 3.29 ERA).

Winners of seven of their last ten, the Astros (15-13) have found their rhythm after a rocky start to the season. Their recent surge has been fueled by dominant pitching — a 2.35 ERA over the last 10 games — and improved production at the plate, including a .264 team batting average over that span. Houston has also outscored opponents by 18 runs during that stretch and boasts a solid 10-6 record at home.

While the offense has yet to fully catch fire, signs of life are emerging. Jeremy Peña continues to be a steady presence with five doubles and three homers, while Christian Walker has driven in six runs over his last 10 games, including three long balls. The Astros’ bats will be tested against a Tigers staff that leads the American League with a 2.86 ERA.

Houston’s Tuesday starter, Ryan Gusto, has been sharp through his first five outings, posting a 1.10 WHIP and 23 strikeouts. He’ll look to keep Detroit’s bats quiet, especially red-hot Zach McKinstry, who’s hitting .406 over his last 10 games, and slugger Spencer Torkelson, who already has eight homers this season.

The Tigers (18-11) may sit atop their division, but they’ve struggled away from home, going just 5-8 on the road. The Astros will look to capitalize and even the season series in their second matchup with Detroit.

With the offense trending upward and the pitching staff in a groove, Houston has a prime opportunity to keep building momentum in front of the home crowd.

Here's a sneak peek at the Astros lineup. Altuve is once again batting second after asking manager Joe Espada to move him down in the batting order. Zach Dezenzo is playing right field with Cam Smith getting the night off. Jake Meyers is back in center field and Mauricio Dubon is starting at second base.

Image via: MLB.com/Screenshot

A big test awaits

It appears the Astros may have tipped their hand regarding tomorrow's starting pitcher. Chandler Rome is reporting AJ Blubaugh is at Daikin Park today.

Following Tuesday night's game, Blubaugh has been officially announced as the starter.

Espada said Hayden Wesneski is not injured but needs more time to recover from his last start.

*ChatGPT assisted.

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