Houston wastes another chance at a sweep

Astros drop finale in slug-fest with Red Sox

Astros' Carlos Correa
Houston couldn't out-slug Boston on Thursday. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images.

Houston couldn't out-slug Boston on Thursday.

With a chance to sweep this three-game series against Boston, Houston tried to replicate the success of the first two games on Thursday night against the Red Sox. Instead, the Astros would come up short in a slug-fest where Houston's bullpen would once again give up too many runs.

Final Score: Red Sox 12, Astros 8

Astros' Record: 35-27, second in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Darwinzon Hernandez (1-2)

Losing Pitcher: Blake Taylor (0-1)

Greinke lasts just three innings

After notching a one-run complete game in his last start against the Blue Jays, Zack Greinke would encounter a disappointing start in this one against the Red Sox. After a 1-2-3 first, Boston put up two runs against him in the second, one on an RBI single and another on a bases-loaded walk as they would send eight batters to the plate in the frame.

They scored two more on him in the next inning, with a leadoff solo homer and then a two-out RBI single, pushing him out of the game early after using 64 pitches to get through those three innings. His final line: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 64P.

Both teams continue to trade runs

Those four runs had the Astros down 4-3, as they could put up three of their own over that span on a solo homer by Yuli Gurriel in the second and two-RBI double by Yordan Alvarez in the third. Houston regained the lead in the top of the fifth, getting four runs on a bases-loaded walk by Gurriel and a two-RBI double by Kyle Tucker with a run scoring on an error in the same play, making it 7-4.

Boston tied the game up in the bottom of the same inning, putting two on base against Brandon Bielak on two singles to set up a three-run homer to make it 7-7 going to the sixth. In the top of that inning, Jose Altuve put Houston back in front with a solo home run to make it 8-7, but Boston roared back with a big inning of their own.

Astros drop the finale

Blake Taylor started the bottom of the sixth trying to get through at least an inning but instead would allow a game-tying sac fly turned error before he would leave with two outs. Enoli Paredes entered to try and get that last out, but he would not be able to get it done, allowing four runs, one each on a bases-loaded hit by pitch and walk, then a two-RBI double to extend their new lead to 12-8.

After a scoreless seventh and eighth, Houston would watch the four-run deficit go final in the top of the ninth as Boston would salvage a game in this series to avoid the sweep. The loss keeps Houston behind Oakland, for now, on top of the AL West standings as the Astros continue to try and overtake them for the division lead.

Up Next: Houston will finish this nine-game road trip with a three-game set in Minnesota against the Twins, starting with the opener at 7:10 PM Central on Friday. Jose Urquidy (4-3, 3.76 ERA) will try and get the win for the Astros, while Matt Shoemaker (2-7, 7.28 ERA) will be on the mound for the Twins.

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Welcome to Houston, Nick! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Nick Chubb didn’t expect to be a Houston Texan. At least, not until he got the call on a quiet Saturday at home and was on a flight the next day. It happened fast — too fast, even, for the four-time Pro Bowler to fully process what it all meant. But now that he’s here, it’s clear this wasn’t a random landing spot. This was a calculated leap, one Chubb had been quietly considering from afar.

The reasons he chose Houston speak volumes not only about where Chubb is in his own career, but where the Texans are as a franchise.

For one, Chubb saw what the rest of the league saw the last two seasons: a young team turning the corner. He admired the Texans from a distance — the culture shift under head coach DeMeco Ryans, the explosive rise of C.J. Stroud, and the physical tone set by players like Joe Mixon. That identity clicked with Chubb. He’d been a fan of Ryans for years, and once he got in the building, everything aligned.

“I came here and saw a bunch of guys who like to work and not talk,” Chubb said. “And I realized I'm a perfect fit.”

As for his health, Chubb isn’t running from the injuries that cost him parts of the past two seasons, he’s owning them. But now, he says, they’re behind him. After a full offseason of training the way he always has — hitting his speed and strength benchmarks — Chubb says he’s feeling the best he has in years. He’s quick to remind people that bouncing back from major injuries, especially the one he suffered in 2023, is rarely a one-year journey. It takes time. He’s given it time.

Then there’s his fit with Mixon. The two aren’t just stylistic complements, they go way back. Same recruiting class, same reputation for running hard, same respect for each other’s games. Chubb remembers dreading matchups against the Bengals in Cleveland, worrying Mixon would take over the game. Now, he sees the opportunity in pairing up. “It’ll be us kinda doing that back-to-back against other defenses,” he said.

He’s also well aware of what C.J. Stroud brings to the table. Chubb watched Stroud nearly dismantle Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Then he saw it again, up close, when Stroud lit up the Browns in the postseason. “He torched us again,” Chubb said. Now, he gets to run alongside him, not against him.

Stroud made a point to welcome Chubb, exchanging numbers and offering support. It may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of leadership that helped sell Chubb on the Texans as more than just a good football fit — it’s a good locker room fit, too.

It appears the decision to come to Houston wasn’t part of some master plan. But in retrospect, it makes perfect sense. Chubb is a player with a no-nonsense work ethic, recovering from adversity, looking to write the next chapter of a career that’s far from over. And the Texans? They’re a team on the rise, built around guys who want to do the same.

You can watch the full interview in the video below.

And for those wondering how Joe Mixon feels about Nick Chubb, check out this video from last season. Let's just say he's a fan.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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