Astros drop third straight after quiet night at the plate against Royals
Aug 17, 2021, 9:56 pm
Houston's offense was held to just one run on Tuesday in Kansas City. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Houston's offense was held to just one run on Tuesday in Kansas City.
With back-to-back losses on Sunday and Monday, including the opener of this series against the Royals, the Astros entered Tuesday's game in need of a win to get back on track. A cold night at the plate would prohibit them from that, though, as Kansas City would hand them their third-straight loss, taking the first two games in this series.
Final Score: Royals 3, Astros 1
Astros' Record: 70-49, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Daniel Lynch (3-3)
Losing Pitcher: Framber Valdez (8-4)
Correa puts Houston in front, but Royals strike back against Valdez
After two scoreless innings on both sides, Carlos Correa delivered the first run of the game. After a leadoff double in the top of the third, Houston would get runners on second and third, and Correa nearly plated both with a single, but Martin Maldonado would get tagged out at home trying to score, limiting the play to one run and putting the Astros up 1-0. Framber Valdez held the lead in the bottom of that inning, erasing a leadoff single, the Royals' third hit, getting one in each frame to that point.
They'd get two more in the bottom of the fourth, a one-out single, then a two-out RBI double to even the game 1-1. He rebounded with a scoreless sixth, again working around a hit. Things escalated quickly for him in a negative way in the bottom of the sixth, as he would allow an infield single due to him not covering first base, which turned into runners on second and third with two outs. The Royals took advantage, getting a two-RBI double to take a 3-1 lead. He returned in the bottom of the seventh, but after a two-out walk, would hand the ball to Dusty Baker to end his night. Valdez's final line: 6.2 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 99 P.
Big time two-out knock!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/C8iAe5wSma
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 18, 2021
Astros drop third in a row
Pedro Baez came in from the bullpen to finish the seventh for Valdez, doing so on one pitch to keep it a two-run game going to the eighth. He returned in the bottom of the eighth, retiring three more batters in order, doing his part to keep Houston within striking distance. However, they'd come up empty again in the top of the ninth, dropping their third straight and the first two games of this series.
Up Next: Another 7:10 PM Central start awaits these teams in the third of this four-game series. Zack Greinke (11-3, 3.51 ERA) will make the start for the Astros, with Brady Singer (3-8, 5.42 ERA) on the mound for the Royals.
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Two of baseball’s best square off Tuesday night as the Houston Astros welcome the Philadelphia Phillies to Daikin Park for a three-game showdown between division leaders. Both teams have hit their stride heading into the matchup, with Houston sitting atop the AL West at 45-33 and Philadelphia leading the NL East at 47-31.
The opener features a must-watch pitching duel between two left-handers in strong form. Framber Valdez (8-4, 3.09 ERA) takes the mound for the Astros, coming off a stretch of dominance that includes 99 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP across 15 starts. He’ll be matched by Phillies ace Ranger Suárez, whose 6-1 record and 2.20 ERA have helped anchor one of the National League’s best rotations.
Both clubs are rolling. The Phillies come in having won eight of their last 10, boasting a .284 team average and a +24 run differential in that stretch. Houston has gone 7-3 over its last 10, hitting .276 and outscoring opponents by 16 runs.
Offensively, the stars are beginning to surge. Jeremy Peña continues to deliver at the top of the Astros’ order with 11 homers and 16 doubles, while Jake Meyers has been red-hot, collecting 16 hits in his last 37 at-bats. For the Phillies, Nick Castellanos remains a steady extra-base hit threat, and Kyle Schwarber’s power has started to show up again with three home runs in his last 10 games.
Philadelphia has thrived when keeping the ball in the yard, going 21-9 when not allowing a home run. That will be tested against an Astros lineup that ranks top-four in the American League in on-base percentage (.323) and is 27-13 at home.
This is the first meeting between these two contenders this season, and it comes at a pivotal point on the calendar. The All-Star break is approaching, the standings are tightening, and every game is beginning to carry October weight. Tuesday night in Houston will feel like a preview of something bigger.
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