Houston wins both against Colorado
Diaz's big day helps lead Astros to two-game sweep of Rockies
Aug 11, 2021, 4:22 pm
Aledmyz Diaz's big day at the plate helped lead Houston's offense to a win over the Rockies. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
Aledmyz Diaz's big day at the plate helped lead Houston's offense to a win over the Rockies.
With less than 50 games left in the regular season, the Astros made a quick turnaround from Tuesday night's win to try and get the mini-sweep against the Rockies on Wednesday afternoon. They would come out on top, thanks to a big day by Aledmys Diaz and solid pitching.
Final Score: Astros 5, Rockies 1
Astros' Record: 68-46, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Framber Valdez (8-3)
Losing Pitcher: Antonio Senzatela (2-9)
Valdez rebounds from first inning trouble
After shutting out Colorado over the nine innings less than 24 hours ago, the Astros allowed a run to the Rockies in the top of the first. Framber Valdez allowed two singles to the first three batters he faced, setting up the RBI single to make it a 1-0 score before the Astros could get to the plate. Luckily, Valdez rebounded from that, tossing 1-2-3 frames in the second and third, erasing a single in the fourth, stranding two in the fifth, then finishing his day by working around a hit by pitch and walk in the sixth. His final line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 100 P.
Diaz leads Houston's offense with timely hitting
Houston quickly backed Valdez up after his first-inning run, getting one of their own on an RBI single by Aledmys Diaz to tie things up in the bottom of the same inning. They grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third, with Yordan Alvarez getting on base with a one-out double to set up Diaz's second RBI of the day, another single to put the Astros in front 2-1. The score stayed there until the bottom of the sixth, where Jake Meyers led the inning off with a single, stole second, tagged to third on a lineout, then beat out a throw home on a sac fly by Martin Maldonado to extend the lead to 3-1.
Astros get the two-game sweep
Correa adds on! #ForTheH pic.twitter.com/Bs1xcH2J1I
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2021
Houston turned to their bullpen starting in the top of the seventh, with Ryne Stanek taking over for Valdez. Stanek kept the score at 3-1, giving up a two-out double to Trevor Story but stranding him by ending the frame with a strikeout. Carlos Correa added an insurance run with an RBI double in the bottom half, as did Diaz, his third RBI hit of the day to make it a four-run lead. Kendall Graveman was the next reliever for the Astros and made it through a 1-2-3 frame on just eight pitches in the top of the eighth. Ryan Pressly came in to close things out in the top of the ninth, erasing a leadoff walk to wrap up the victory.
Up Next: Houston will get a day off on Thursday as they travel to Los Angeles to pick up a three-game set with the Angels starting at 8:38 PM Central on Friday. The opener pitching matchup is expected to be Patrick Sandoval (3-5, 3.39 ERA) for LA and Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.69 ERA) for the Astros.
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The Houston Astros (28-25) will open a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics (23-31) on Tuesday night, as both teams look to build momentum in very different contexts. The Astros are fighting to keep pace in the AL West, while the Athletics are trying to stop the bleeding after a 1-9 stretch.
Pitching matchup
Tuesday’s matchup features Hunter Brown (6-3, 2.04 ERA), who has become a stabilizing force in a rotation that’s been hit hard by injuries. Brown boasts a sparkling 0.91 WHIP and 71 strikeouts over 66.2 innings, ranking among the league’s most efficient starters in May.
Oakland counters with JP Sears (4-4, 4.00 ERA), who’s been steady but unspectacular this season. Sears owns a solid 1.15 WHIP and will look to keep the ball in the park against a Houston lineup that’s showing signs of waking up.
Astros heating up
Houston enters the series 6-4 in its last 10 games and 18-10 at home. The offense has quietly started to produce again, hitting .275 over that 10-game stretch. Jose Altuve remains a key contributor, going 11-for-38 with a pair of home runs. Isaac Paredes continues to anchor the middle of the lineup with 11 homers, a .276 average, and the versatility to move around the infield.
Pitching has also steadied, with the Astros posting a 3.51 team ERA during their recent run. With Brown on the mound, Houston will look to keep pressure on AL West rivals while making the most of this two-game home opportunity.
A’s slumping but still dangerous
Oakland enters Tuesday’s contest with the worst record in the AL West and little momentum. The A’s have lost nine of their last 10 and have been outscored by 26 runs during that stretch. The team’s 5.79 ERA over that period has made it hard to stay in games, even as the offense ranks sixth in MLB with a .419 slugging percentage.
Brent Rooker leads the power surge with 12 homers and a .468 slugging mark. Miguel Andújar has been one of the few bright spots lately, going 15-for-43 with three doubles and a home run over the past 10 games.
First meeting of the season
This marks the first meeting between the Astros and Athletics in 2025. Houston has had the upper hand in the rivalry in recent years and will look to keep that trend going. Oddsmakers agree: the Astros are -207 favorites on the BetMGM moneyline, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs.
With Houston surging behind elite starting pitching and Oakland trying to find stability, Tuesday’s matchup offers a sharp contrast in direction—and a clear opportunity for the Astros to keep stacking wins at home.
Here's an early look at tonight's lineup!
.@hellokitty Night!
⚾️: 7:10pm
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/8BPEDP9L14
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 27, 2025
Altuve is hitting third in the DH spot, with Chas McCormick hitting eighth and getting the start in left field. Meyers is hitting fifth and Mauricio Dubon is starting at second base and hitting ninth.
*ChatGPT assisted.
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