SportsMap's on the Map
Boisterous crowd celebrates launch of SportsMap.com at blowout bash
Marcy de Luna
Oct 6, 2017, 5:39 am
Mingling outside at Hotel ZaZa. For more photos see Houston.Culturemap.com. Photo by Kirsten Gilliam Photography
A few hours after the official launch of SportsMap, a by-invitation-only crowd of 150 gathered for a blowout bash at Hotel ZaZa Thursday night. They toasted the new sports website, which promises "all sports all the time" in a digital format.
The party, sponsored by CultureMap and ESPN 9.75 FM, spilled out from the hotel's Monarch restaurant into the outdoor area, where DJ Senega’s hot spins set the lively tone as guests took a swing at mini golf and got a real-time view of the work of Franky Cardona, the artist who created the Astros street art display at Home Run Alley at Minute Maid Park. Cardona created a one-of-a-kind painting of Texans star J.J. Watt as guests watched and marveled.
Guests also posed for step-and-repeat photos by Smilebooth, and enjoyed an array of hors d'oeuvres and free-flowing drinks, including ice-cold Coors Light beers and two signature cocktails: The All Star, made with tequila, blood orange juice, lime juice, and agave nectar; and The End Zone, stirred with lemon juice, simple syrup, and a hit of gin.
SportsMap, featuring a variety of written, video, and audio content covering Houston's sports scene, is the latest addition to owner Gow Media's fast-growing multi-platform business ventures, which also include CultureMap, ESPN 97.5 FM, SportsMap 94.1 FM, the SBNation national radio network, PodcastArena, and Gow Media Audio Publishing, an audiobook hosting site.
Joining in the celebration were Gow Media CEO David Gow, Texas Monthly owner Paul Hobby and his wife Janet, SportsMap editor-in-chief Fred Faour, CultureMap editor-in-chief Clifford Pugh, KHOU11 sports reporter Daniel Gotera and his wife, Fox 26 anchor/reporter Rashi Vats, KHOU11 meteorologist Chita Craft and her husband Lane, Butch Alsandor, and Nick Scurfield.
Also spotted in the crowd were Mike McGuff, Tijuana Harvey, Cherry Pie Hospitality’s Lee Ellis, Brittaney Wilmore, Kevin Cooper, Jerry Flores, Gerard Torres, Lawson Gow, Graham McKernan, Jennifer Muller, Brandon Strange, Patrick Dugan, Mark Toon, Julie Griffin, Andy Martin, and Leisa Holland-Nelson.
On-air personalities from the Gow Media sports family on hand included Charlie Pallilo, A.J. Hoffman, Charlie Epps (aka "The Golf Doctor"), Joel Blank, and Robin Carlin.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.