Houston loses the series
Padres get walk-off homer to take series from Astros
Sep 5, 2021, 6:19 pm
The Astros tied the game late but the Padres still came out in frond on Sunday. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Astros tied the game late but the Padres still came out in frond on Sunday.
After being handed a lopsided loss in the middle game on Saturday to even up the series, the Astros tried to shrug it off and get the series victory with a win on Sunday. After battling back to tie the game late, the Padres would get the final blow to take the series.
Final Score: Padres 4, Astros 3
Astros' Record: 79-57, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Mark Melancon (4-2)
Losing Pitcher: Ryne Stanek (1-4)
Garcia rebounds from a rough first inning
With most of the offense the night prior belonging to San Diego, the Astros set off on a better foot on Sunday, getting a leadoff ground-rule double by Jose Altuve to get in position for an RBI single by Alex Bregman to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. The Padres matched that and more in the bottom half against Luis Garcia.
Garcia allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, followed by a one-out single and walk to load the bases. A sac fly brought in one run to tie things up, then a two-out two-RBI double put San Diego in front 3-1. He rebounded nicely from that rough first inning, preventing any more damage into the sixth inning, where he would get two outs and allow a single before Dusty Baker moved on to the bullpen. Garcia's final line: 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 80 P.
Astros drop the series as Padres get walk-off homer
Down two runs in the top of the seventh, the Astros launched back-to-back jacks by Yuli Gurriel and Carlos Correa, both solo homers, to tie the game 3-3. Blake Taylor was Houston's next reliever, and with a double play, he was able to face the minimum in the bottom of the seventh.
BACK-TO-BACK!!!#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/HZfNglFgyE
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 5, 2021
Kendall Graveman maintained the tie in the bottom of the eighth, erasing a leadoff single for a scoreless inning. In the top of the ninth, Houston had a chance to go back in front, working back-to-back walks to start the inning, but would come away empty after a double play and strikeout. Ryne Stanek entered to try and force extra innings in the bottom of the ninth but instead would watch Jake Cronenworth blast the walk-off solo homer to win it for the Padres, handing the Astros the series loss.
Up Next: With this road trip complete, the Astros return to pick up a series with the Mariners at 6:10 PM Central on Monday. Yusei Kikuchi (7-7, 4.12 ERA) is the slated starter for Seattle, while Lance McCullers Jr. (10-4, 3.20 ERA) will pitch for Houston.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.