Houston loses big to the Rangers
Greinke shelled in return from IL as Rangers even series
Sep 15, 2021, 1:13 pm
Zack Greinke's return from the IL did not go well against the Rangers on Tuesday night. Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Zack Greinke's return from the IL did not go well against the Rangers on Tuesday night.
After demolishing the Rangers in Monday's opener, the Astros looked to continue their dominance against Texas on Tuesday in Arlington. Instead, they'd be on the receiving end of an offensive barrage, with Zack Greinke making a disappointing start in his return from the IL.
Final Score: Rangers 8, Astros 1
Astros' Record: 84-60, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Jordan Lyles (9-11)
Losing Pitcher: Zack Greinke (11-6)
Rough return for Greinke
4⃣3⃣8⃣ ft for No. 30.
That ties the @rangers' rookie record. pic.twitter.com/CFUDkxUcEI
— MLB (@MLB) September 15, 2021
In his first start since August 29th after landing on the COVID IL, things did not go as planned for Zack Greinke. The Rangers jumped on him in the bottom of the first, getting a two-out two-run homer to take a 2-0 lead. Another two-run blast came in the bottom of the third after an error put a man on to set things up and extend Texas' lead to 4-0.
After rebounding well with 1-2-3 frames in the fourth and fifth, things fell apart in the sixth as a leadoff double and a walk turned into an RBI single and three-run homer, making it an 8-0 deficit and ending Greinke's night before he could get an out in the inning. His final line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 3 HR, 75 P.
Astros fall as Rangers even the series
After Greinke, Houston's bullpen took over and did well, but the damage had already been done. Yimi Garcia finished the sixth for Greinke, working around a walk, then Blake Taylor tossed a scoreless seventh by erasing a double and a walk. Brooks Raley was Houston's last reliever, coming in and providing a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Houston's only run of the night came in the top of the ninth, too little too late, as Carlos Correa would get an RBI single to avoid the shutout.
Up Next: The third of this four-game series will be another 7:05 PM Central start on Wednesday. Kohei Arihara (2-3, 5.89 ERA) is slated to start the game for the Rangers, while Jose Urquidy (6-3, 3.51 ERA) will be on the mound for the Astros.
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Michael Wacha scattered four hits over six innings, Vinnie Pasquantino homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the Houston Astros 2-0 for the second straight night Saturday to run their winning streak to six.
Wacha (1-3) once again received little run support, but the veteran right-hander made the meager production stand up on chilly evening at Kauffman Stadium. He struck out six while walking two and never allowed a runner past second base.
Steven Cruz worked the seventh for Kansas City, his seventh appearance this season without allowing a run. John Schreiber left runners on the corners in the eighth, and Carlos Estévez had a perfect ninth for his seventh save.
Bobby Witt Jr. doubled and scored in the first inning for the Royals, extending his career-best hitting streak to 18 games.
Framber Valdez (1-3) gave up a sacrifice fly to Mark Canha in the first inning and Pasquantino's shot down the right-field line in the fifth. Otherwise, the Astros left-hander kept Kansas City in check, allowing three hits and two walks over eight innings.
Valdez had tossed seven shutout innings against the Royals last August in a 3-2 victory.
The Astros, who have lost five straight at the K, have managed just nine hits while getting shut out over the first two games of the series. They had rolled into Kansas City having won three straight and five of their last six games.
Key moment
Isaac Parades hit a two-out double and Jeremy Peña followed with a single to give Houston runners on the corners in the eighth inning. Schreiber bounced back to strike out Christian Walker with a four-seam fastball to end the threat.
Key stat
The Royals have only scored seven runs in the 32 innings that Wacha has pitched this season.
Up next
RHP Hunter Brown (3-1, 1.16) tries to extend a 24-inning scoreless streak for Houston in the series finale Sunday. LHP Kris Bubic (2-1, 1.45) gets the start for Kansas City after tossing seven shutout innings against the Rockies his last time out.