Houston is up to eleven in a row
Astros extend winning streak again with opener win over Tigers
Jun 24, 2021, 10:05 pm
Houston's offense cannot be held down in June, putting together another run-heavy night against Detroit on Thursday. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Houston's offense cannot be held down in June, putting together another run-heavy night against Detroit on Thursday.
Entering with a ten-game win streak, including three-game domination of the Orioles, the Astros tried to continue their hot streak against the Tigers in the opener of a four-game series. They would have the same success against Detroit, putting up a lopsided offensive win to extend their winning streak another game and stay on top of the division.
Final Score: Astros 12, Tigers 3
Astros' Record: 47-28, first in the AL West
Winning Pitcher: Luis Garcia (6-4)
Losing Pitcher: Jose Urena (2-8)
The runs keep coming for Houston
Bloop, there it is!#ForTheH pic.twitter.com/NwdKDAqESW
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 25, 2021
Houston had no trouble continuing to score runs at a torrid pace, getting two runs each in the second, third, and fourth. Martin Maldonado kicked things off with a two-RBI single in the top of the second; then, in the third, the Astros had runners on first and third for Yordan Alvarez, who notched an RBI groundout. They loaded the bases later that frame, resulting in a hit by pitch to Abraham Toro to make it 4-0.
After Detroit managed a run against Luis Garcia in the bottom of the third to make it 4-1, Houston pushed the lead back to five runs with RBI hits by Yuli Gurriel and Carlos Correa. Correa drove in another two in the top of the fifth, getting a two-RBI single with two outs to make it 8-1.
Garcia holds Detroit to two runs over six
The two-out RBI double Garcia allowed in the bottom of the third was his only run allowed through the first five innings. A leadoff double in the bottom of the sixth would later come in for Detroit's second run on a two-out RBI double before Garcia would get the last out to end his night: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 96 P.
Astros extend winning streak to eleven
Blake Taylor was first out of Houston's bullpen in the bottom of the seventh and erased a leadoff single for a scoreless inning. Ryne Stanek was next, and he held the six-run lead with a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth. The Astros didn't let up in the top of the ninth, loading the bases and bringing Yordan Alvarez to the plate for his twelfth homer of the season, a grand slam to extend the lead to double digits at 12-2. Ralph Garza Jr. wrapped it up in the bottom of the ninth, despite allowing a run, finishing off Houston's eleventh-straight win and keeping them in front of the A's on top of the AL West.
Up Next: Game two of this four-game set will be another 6:10 PM Central start on Friday. Framber Valdez (4-0, 1.67 ERA) will try to stay perfect on the year for Houston, while Wily Peralta (0-1, 7.11 ERA) will try to pick up his first win in his second start for Detroit.
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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!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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