Houston looks ready for the postseason

Astros slug their way to walk-off win in regular-season finale

Astros' Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker
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

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.

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.

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Diontae Johnson's time with the Texans was short-lived. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

Wide receiver Diontae Johnson agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Cleveland Browns on Monday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The move was first reported by NFL Network.

Cleveland will be the fourth team that Johnson has been on in a year. He began last season with Carolina before being traded to Baltimore in late October. Johnson — who led the Panthers with 30 receptions and 357 receiving yards at the time of the trade — had only one catch in four games for the Ravens when he refused to enter a Dec. 1 contest against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Johnson was suspended one game and then waived by the Ravens on Dec. 21. He was claimed by Houston and had three receptions, including one for 12 yards in the Texans' wild-card playoff win over the Chargers.

Johnson though was waived shortly after that game as Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said it didn't work out. Johnson was then claimed by Baltimore, but the Ravens did that in order to possibly get a compensatory pick in the 2026 draft.

The 28-year old Johnson has plenty of experience playing in the AFC North. He was drafted in the third round by Pittsburgh in 2019 and spent five seasons with the Steelers. His best year was in 2021 when he had 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns.

Johnson joins a Browns receiving room that doesn't have many viable options other than Jerry Jeudy.

Who Johnson will be catching passes from during offseason workouts and training camp will be of more interest. Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett are expected to battle for Cleveland's starting quarterback job, but the Browns made things interesting during the draft with the selections of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel.

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