ASTROS FALL TO KC
Astros once again bested by Royals in lopsided loss
Aug 23, 2021, 10:51 pm
The Astros continued to struggle against beatable teams in a loss to the Royals on Monday. Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
The Astros continued to struggle against beatable teams in a loss to the Royals on Monday.
After a disappointing 1-3 series against the Royals last week, the Astros entered the new three-game series with Kansas City hopeful for a different outcome with this series at home. Instead, they would fall again as the baffling trend of losing to beatable teams continues.
Final Score: Royals 7, Astros 1
Astros' Record: 73-52, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Daniel Lynch (4-3)
Losing Pitcher: Zack Greinke (11-4)
Greinke tosses another quality start
It was not the start that Houston, who dropped three of four to the Royals in Kansas City last week, hoped for on Monday. The Royals jumped out to an early lead against Zack Greinke, getting a one-out double and two-out RBI ground-rule double in the second, then a solo homer in the third, going in front 2-0.
Houston cut that lead in half in the bottom of the third, getting a leadoff single by Taylor Jones, who would later score on an RBI double by Yuli Gurriel, making it 2-1. Greinke kept it a one-run game the rest of his start, tossing a 1-2-3 fourth and working around a single and walk in the fifth before finishing with a scoreless sixth. His final line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 92 P.
Astros once again can't handle the Royals
Despite having the tying run on third with one out in the fifth, Houston remained down one run after Greinke was done, with Yimi Garcia taking over in the top of the seventh. He did not do well, allowing a walk, RBI double, and another run on an error, putting the Royals in front 4-1 before Blake Taylor would finish the frame.
Opening things up in the 8th!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/phXk75rzqj
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 24, 2021
Taylor remained on the mound in the top of the eighth, but things quickly spiraled out of control for Houston as after a single and an out, they would switch to Phil Maton, who would have a rough outing. He allowed three earned runs, one on a two-out single, then a two-RBI triple, as Kansas City broke the game open at 7-1. The six-run lead would hold for the Royals, who handed the Astros another loss, and after winning three of the four-game set at Kauffman Stadium, would claim the season-series victory with two games left to play.
Up Next: The middle game of this three-game set will be another 7:10 PM Central start on Tuesday. The pitching matchup will be Luis Garcia (9-6, 3.39 ERA) for Houston and Brady Singer (3-8, 5.23 ERA) for Kansas City.
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Alperen Sengun scored five of his 27 points in the final 2:28 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 101-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
Trailing 101-99 with six seconds left, Pistons' guard Cade Cunningham intentionally missed a free throw and Jaden Ivey got the offensive rebound. His shot missed, but Tobias Harris was fouled on the rebound.
With a chance to tie the game with one second to go, Harris missed the first free throw. He intentionally missed the second, but Ivey fell out of bounds trying to secure the rebound.
Sengun added 10 rebounds, and Tari Eason scored 10 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Cunningham had 26 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, falling just short of becoming the first Pistons player to record four straight triple-doubles.
Sengun's putback gave the Rockets a 96-95 lead with 2:28 to play, and Jaden Ivey was called for an offensive foul on the next possession. Houston got another putback, this one a dunk from Dillon Brooks, before Sengun scored Houston's third straight basket off an offensive rebound to make it 100-95.
Takeaways
Rockets: Houston was able to stay in the game in the first half despite shooting 18.8% (3 of 16) on 3-pointers by recording nine offensive rebounds.
Pistons: Cunningham had 14 first-half points on 5-of-10 shooting, but his teammates only managed 31 on 36.3% (12 of 33) from the floor.
Key moment
The Rockets led 84-72 with nine minutes left, but Malik Beasley hit three 3-pointers in a 16-3 run that put Detroit up 88-87 with 5:16 left.
Key stat
Houston forced seven third-quarter turnovers that led to eight points and held the Pistons to 36.8% shooting. Detroit missed all five 3-point attempts, including three by Tim Hardaway Jr.
Up next
The Rockets host the Wizards on Monday, while the Pistons host the Heat on Tuesday.