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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4 important elements that could tip the scales in Texans-Colts matchup
Oct 25, 2024, 2:30 pm
This week, the Houston Texans take on the Colts in a matchup with division supremacy on the line. If the Texans are able to come away with a victory, they will own the tiebreaker over Indy and enjoy a comfortable lead in the division.
However, a loss to the Colts means the Texans will be in a virtual tie with Indy in the AFC South. So what do the Texans need to do to secure a win?
On offense, they'll have to do a much better job of protecting CJ Stroud. In their last game against the Packers, Stroud faced immense pressure on third downs, with 12 of his 14 dropbacks resulting in pressure.
During one series, Stroud was flushed from the pocket and forced to scramble on three straight plays. They have to clean up the protection, or it will be another long day for the offense.
Fortunately for the Texans, this game is at home. So hopefully the communication issues the Texans o-line dealt with on the road last week won't be an issue at NRG.
Rushing attack
Houston can't afford to rely solely on Joe Mixon and the run game to carry the offense. While Mixon has been terrific, contributing significantly in recent weeks, the Texans will need a balanced attack. Which means Stroud must have time to operate in the pocket.
Bulls on parade
The defense last week was another story for the Texans. They played well against Green Bay, limiting them to 24 points. This week, they face a very different type of quarterback. Anthony Richardson is dead last in passer rating and completion percentage, so that's definitely working in their favor.
We know what Richardson can do with his legs, and Indy is expecting running back Jonathan Taylor to return from an ankle injury, so the rushing defense will be tested.
Richardson's accuracy is certainly a weakness, but he does throw a good deep ball that gave the defense problems in Week 1 this season.
What does Vegas think?
The Texans are favored by 5 points and the total is set at 45.5 points.
This is one video you don't want to miss as we share our in-depth breakdown of the game, as well as our predictions for Sunday's contest.
For Texans’ conversation, catch Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo on our Texans On Tap podcasts. Thursdays feature a preview of the upcoming game, and then we go live (then available on demand) after the final gun of the game: Texans on Tap - YouTube
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