SportsMap's on the Map

Boisterous crowd celebrates launch of SportsMap.com at blowout bash

Marcy de Luna
Boisterous crowd celebrates launch of SportsMap.com at blowout bash
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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The Tigers beat the Astros, 7-4. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Javy Báez capped a five-run third inning with his ninth career grand slam, and the Detroit Tigers avoided a series sweep by beating the Houston Astros 7-4 on Wednesday.

Baez’s two-out homer off AJ Blubaugh (0-1), a 24-year-old right-hander making his major league debut, put the Tigers ahead 7-1. All five runs were unearned due to shortstop Jeremy Peña throwing error on Kerry Carpenter's grounder.

Riley Greene tied his career high with four hits.

Brenan Hanifee (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Jackson Jobe, who allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in three innings. Detroit has won five of seven and nine of 13.

Blubaugh (0-1) struck out two in a 1-2-3 first and gave up seven runs — two earned — and five hits in four innings with six strikeouts and a walk.

Blubaugh was optioned back to Sugar Land after the game.

Peña hit the first career leadoff home run, the first of his three hits, but Colt Keith hit a two-run homer in the second to put Detroit ahead for good.

Jose Altuve hit a two-run double in the fifth and Victor Caratini homered in the seventh against Tyler Holton.

Holton struck out Yainer Diaz to strand two runners in the seventh and Tommy Kahnle struck out Christian Walker to leave two runners on in the eighth.

Houston went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners.

Key moment

Báez drove a high sweeper over the left-field scoreboard.

Key stat

Houston allowed five unearned runs in the third inning after giving up three in its first 29 games.

Up next

Astros: LHP Framber Valdez (1-3 4.00 ERA) opens a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (4-1 2.12 ERA) opens a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels and LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 4.31) on Thursday night.

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