Houston looks ready for the postseason
Astros slug their way to walk-off win in regular-season finale
Oct 3, 2021, 5:09 pm
Kyle Tucker hit one of Houston's four home runs in the regular-season finale against Oakland on Sunday. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Kyle Tucker hit one of Houston's four home runs in the regular-season finale against Oakland on Sunday.
With their ALDS positioning already locked up, the Astros had the opportunity to use the 162nd and final game of the regular season as a tune-up on Sunday. Their offense looked ready, powering their way to a final victory.
Final Score: Astros 7, A's 6
Astros Record: 95-67, winners of the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Blake Taylor (4-4)
Losing Pitcher: Lou Trivino (7-8)
Houston and Oakland go back-and-forth with solo homers
After a scoreless first inning, the runs started coming one after another in the second and third innings. Oakland started the scoring with a leadoff solo home run off of Jose Urquidy in the top of the second, then got another with one out in the third. However, Houston matched them both times, getting solo shots by Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers in the bottom half of the frames to make it a 2-2 tie going to the fourth.
The A's got back in front in the top of the fifth, getting back-to-back singles to get a runner to third to set up Tony Kemp for his second RBI of the game on a sac fly to put the Astros behind 3-2. Urquidy would finish that inning and continued with a scoreless sixth to end his day: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 84 P.
Tucker gets his 30th homer, Greinke comes in from the pen
30TH TUCK TANK! đŁ#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/brOIo41CeeÂ
â Houston Astros (@astros) October 3, 2021
Urquidy would get off the hook and end up in line for the win thanks to his offense in the bottom of the sixth. Jose Altuve led things off with a double; then, with two outs, Kyle Tucker would blast his 30th homer of the season, a two-run go-ahead shot to make it a 4-3 Houston lead. In what is shaping up to be his role on the post-season pitching staff, Zack Greinke entered from the bullpen in the top of the seventh to make a relief appearance.
Greinke made easy work of the 7-8-9 hitters of Oakland's lineup, retiring them in order to maintain the one-run lead. The lead became two runs in the bottom of the inning, with Jose Altuve getting his second double in as many innings to make it 5-3. In the top of the eighth, Greinke had another 1-2-3 inning, getting through the top of Oakland's order on just seven pitches.
Oakland ties it in the ninth, but Astros walk it off to end the regular season
At the beginning of the game, the Astros let Carlos Correa take the field by himself for a moment in what could potentially be his last regular-season game as a member of the team, if not re-signed this offseason. In the bottom of the eighth, he showed why he will garner such a large contract, hitting an opposite-field solo homer to make it a three-run game. He would take the field for the top of the ninth, but the Astros would give him another memorable moment, making defensive adjustments to take him out of the game and walk back to the dugout and get a standing ovation from the Minute Maid Park crowd.
After retiring the first six batters he faced, Greinke had a rough start to the ninth, allowing a single then a two-run homer to make it a one-run game at 6-5. He would get one more out before Dusty Baker brought in Blake Taylor, who, after getting an out, would allow a game-tying solo homer with two outs.
Houston wasted little time in the bottom of the ninth, getting a leadoff single by Jason Castro, who moved to third on a one-out double by Yordan Alvarez. That brought Yuli Gurriel, soon-to-be batting title winner, to the plate with a chance to win the game. He did just that, getting one more hit in the regular season, this one the walk-off single to give Houston a victory to cap off their successful regular season.
Perfect ending to La Piña's regular season. đ€#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/V13AnIQeA8Â
â Houston Astros (@astros) October 3, 2021
Up Next: While we know what day ALDS Game 1 will take place (Thursday, October 7th) and where it will take place (Minute Maid Park), the start time and pitching matchup will be determined in the coming days as the rest of the playoff bracket shakes out.
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
ÂDepth finally runs dry
ÂIt would be easy to point to a âDodger hangoverâ as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But thatâs not the story here.
Houstonâs energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesdayâs finale.
But scoring isnât everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
ÂCracks in the pitching core
ÂAnd the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasnât spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles werenât isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpenâs collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
ÂInjury handling under fire
ÂHoustonâs injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesdayâs finale. He didnât even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astrosâ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
ÂPressure mounts on Dana Brown
ÂAll eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act â and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. Heâs been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio DubĂłn stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthewsâ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipelineÂÂ
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
â FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
Thereâs also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers donât jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
ÂA final test before the break
ÂBefore the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio â Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown â to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold âStros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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