ASTROS LEAD THE SERIES 3-0
Houston Astros blank the Yankees winning, 5-0
Oct 22, 2022, 7:53 pm
Christian Vazquez came through for Houston. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images.
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After a scoreless first inning for Gerrit Cole and Cristian Javier, the Astros stuck first, getting some runs on the board in the top of the second. With two outs in the inning, Christian Vazquez hit a fly ball to center field that was dropped by Harrison Bader. Chas McCormick stepped into the box and hit a home run down the right field line, giving the Astros a 2-0 lead.
You just love to see it. pic.twitter.com/bMyYmp9cUs
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 22, 2022
Jose Altuve then grounded out to short, ending the inning. Dusty Baker lost a challenge thinking that Altuve beat out the throw. The bats for both clubs were quiet again until the top of the sixth, when Alex Bregman ripped a double to left field off Gerrit Cole. Next Kyle Tucker would walk and Yuli Gurriel hit a bloop single to right field loading the bases. Trey Mancini was next up facing Lou Trivino with Gerrit Cole being pulled. Mancini hit a sac fly to left, scoring Bregman and advancing all the runners. Christian Vazquez would be the next Astro up, and he ripped a single to left center, clearing the bases.
THIS train keeps rolling. pic.twitter.com/xOYlI0FMT4
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 22, 2022
After a couple of ground outs from McCormick and Altuve, the Astros would head to the bottom of the sixth up, 5-0.
Cristian Javier started off the inning getting a ground ball for the first out. Anthony Rizzo then walked after hitting a long foul ball to right. This prompted Dusty Baker to pull Javier for Hector Neris to face Aaron Judge. Judge struck out on a splitter, and Giancarlo Stanton grounded out to end the inning.
The game would remain 5-0 heading to the bottom of the ninth with Bryan Abreu coming in to close it out. After surrendering a couple of hits, Abreu would finish off the shutout.
Astros 5, Yankees 0
Up next: Lance McCullers pitches Game 4 for Houston on Sunday.
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The Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills both enter Week 5 with identical records, looking to continue their strong early-season performances. The Texans, led by breakout quarterback C.J. Stroud, come off a thrilling 24-20 win over Jacksonville, while the Bills are seeking to bounce back after a disappointing 35-10 loss to Baltimore.
Bet MGM NFL Odds: Bills favored by 1
Against the Spread: Buffalo 2-2, Houston 0-3-1
Series Record: Texans lead 6-5
Last Meeting: Bills defeated Texans 40-0 (Oct. 3, 2021)
Key matchups and players to watch
Texans WR Nico Collins:
Collins has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL this season, leading the league with 489 receiving yards. Coming off a career-best performance with 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville, Collins will be a key target for Stroud against Buffalo’s strong secondary.
Bills DE A.J. Epenesa:
With Von Miller suspended, Epenesa will be expected to step up as Buffalo’s primary pass rusher. Epenesa has one sack through four starts and needs to take on a larger role with the absence of Miller, who leads the NFL's active players in sacks.
Texans WR Stefon Diggs vs. Former Team:
Diggs, who was traded to the Texans in the offseason, will face his former team for the first time. He has been productive for Houston, logging 233 yards and two receiving touchdowns this season, as well as his first career rushing touchdown last week.
Key injuries
The Bills face multiple injury concerns, including linebacker Terrel Bernard, cornerback Taron Johnson, and safety Taylor Rapp, all of whom are questionable. Buffalo's leading receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) has been ruled out. The Texans could see the return of WR Tank Dell after he missed last week, though RB Joe Mixon is not expected to play. LT Laremy Tunsil is questionable, which could impact their offensive game plan.
Update: Aaron Wilson has the latest on which Texans players are practicing on Friday.
#Texans Joe Mixon remains out of practice and not expected to play Sunday against #Bills Dameon Pierce returns, Tytus Howard sidelined @KPRC2 https://t.co/DR0IKzAC7C
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) October 4, 2024
Team stats and trends
Bills Offense:
Buffalo’s offense ranks second in scoring but has been inconsistent, as seen in their 10-point showing against the Ravens last week. Josh Allen, while turnover-prone in the past, is on a four-game streak without throwing an interception.
Texans Defense:
Houston’s defense has been a standout, ranking fifth overall and excelling against the pass, which could be key against the Bills' passing attack. However, their 40 penalties this season have been a major issue, and they'll need more discipline to keep pace with Buffalo.
Texans Offense:
Houston's passing game has been stellar, with Stroud leading the Texans to the 8th-best offense overall and the 3rd-ranked passing attack. This will be a critical factor against Buffalo’s defense, which ranks 6th against the pass.
Fantasy tip
Look for Nico Collins to continue his dominant streak as Stroud’s top target. Collins has over 80 receiving yards in six straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Final thoughts
This matchup pits a strong Texans passing game against a resilient Bills defense. Buffalo holds the slight edge in the spread, and with both teams vying for a crucial win, this should be a hard-fought contest.
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ChatGPT contributed to this content.