Houston gets the win
Astros grab shutout win over Rockies in opener of short series
Aug 10, 2021, 10:40 pm
After a slow start, Houston's offense came alive in the middle innings on Tuesday against the Rockies. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
After a slow start, Houston's offense came alive in the middle innings on Tuesday against the Rockies.
After a disappointing series against the Twins over the weekend where they dropped three of four, the Astros entered Tuesday fresh off a day off to welcome in the Rockies for a quick two-game series. Houston looked much like themselves in the opener, stringing together hits to score runs and get the win.
Final Score: Astros 5, Rockies 0
Astros' Record: 67-46, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Jake Odorizzi (5-6)
Losing Pitcher: Jon Gray (7-8)
Houston's offense springs to life in the fourth
Stros out front! 👏#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/P1FvTdBenI
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2021
After three and a half innings with little offense to speak about on both sides, the Astros sprung to life in the bottom of the fourth. They put two runners on base, setting up Chas McCormick for a two-out RBI single to score the game's first run. Taylor Jones came up next, adding two more on a two-RBI double, giving Houston a 3-0 lead.
Jose Altuve led off the bottom of the next inning by reaching base on a hit by pitch, then scored from first on an RBI double by Michael Brantley, extending the lead to 4-0. They continued to threaten in the frame, chasing Jon Gray out of the game before loading the bases against Colorado's first reliever, but would not tack on more runs.
Odorizzi goes five scoreless
The lead put Jake Odorizzi in a winning position as he was holding the Rockies scoreless. He faced trouble in the second, putting two runners on base with no outs on a single and walk, but was able to strand both. He went on to allow just two more on base, a two-out single in the top of the fourth and a two-out single in the top of the fifth. His night would end there, giving his team five shutout innings, making his final line 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 81 P.
Astros take the opener
Cristian Javier took over on the mound in the top of the sixth, working around a one-out walk to keep the shutout going. The Astros made it three innings in a row with a run, this time a two-out RBI single by Jose Altuve in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-0. Javier remained in the game in the top of the seventh and erased a single and a walk to keep the score there.
Blake Taylor was Houston's next reliever, coming in to face the left-handed portion of Colorado's lineup in the top of the eighth. He retired two then issued a walk before Yimi Garcia entered to finish the frame. In the top of the ninth, the Astros got the debut of Pedro Baez, an offseason acquisition who started the year on the IL. He made it a good one, finishing off the shutout win by erasing a leadoff single with a strikeout and a double play.
Up Next: The finale of this short two-game series will be an afternoon game at 1:10 PM Central on Wednesday. Framber Valdez (7-3, 3.22 ERA) for the Astros will oppose Antonio Senzatela (2-8, 4.73 ERA).
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A new challenge awaits, and the Astros know what’s at stake
Jun 27, 2025, 2:05 pm
The Houston Astros didn’t just sweep the Philadelphia Phillies. They sent a message.
In three tightly contested games against one of the best teams in baseball, the Astros leaned on their elite pitching and timely offense to secure a statement sweep. Hunter Brown was electric in the finale, shutting down the Phillies’ lineup and showing the kind of dominance that’s become a defining feature of his game. Bryan Abreu slammed the door with four strikeouts to close out the win, and rookie Cam Smith delivered the deciding blow — an RBI single in the eighth to drive in Isaac Paredes, lifting the Astros to a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t a series filled with offensive fireworks, but that’s exactly the point. Both teams sent out top-tier pitching throughout the series, and Houston was the team that kept finding a way. For much of the season, the Astros’ inconsistent offense might’ve been a concern in a series like this. But this time, it felt different. The bats showed up just enough, and the pitching did the rest.
Now, with Houston on pace for 96 wins at the halfway point, the question becomes: Is the league officially on notice?
Maybe. Maybe not. But one thing is certain, the Astros have the third-best record in baseball, they’re 17-7 in one-run games, and they’re playing with the kind of rhythm that’s defined their near-decade of dominance. Unlike last year’s uneven campaign, this version of the Astros looks like a team that’s rediscovered its edge. Whether or not they need to take care of business against the Cubs to validate it, their recent run leaves little doubt: when Houston is clicking, there are very few teams built to stop them.
Off the field, however, a bit of long-term uncertainty is starting to creep in. Reports surfaced this week that extension talks with shortstop Jeremy Peña have been put on hold as he recently signed with super-agent Scott Boras. The combination has led many to wonder if Peña might follow the same free-agent path as Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and others before him. Boras clients rarely settle early, and Peña, now one of the most valuable shortstops in the game, could command a price tag the Astros have historically avoided paying.
If Peña and even Hunter Brown are likely to get priced out of Houston, the front office may need to pivot. Isaac Paredes could be the most logical extension candidate on the roster. His approach — particularly his ability to pull the ball with authority — is tailor-made for Daikin Park and the Crawford Boxes. Last year, Paredes struggled to leave the yard at Wrigley Field, but in Houston, he’s thriving. Locking him in long term would give the Astros offensive stability and the kind of value they’ve typically targeted.
As for Cam Smith, the breakout rookie is far from free agency and will remain a cost-controlled piece for years. That’s exactly why his contributions now, like his clutch eighth-inning knock to beat Philadelphia, matter so much. He's one more reason why the Astros don’t just look good right now. They look dangerous.
And the rest of the league is starting to feel it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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