Pallilo Points
Charlie Pallilo: Luhnow plundered Pirates with trade for Gerrit Cole
Jun 25, 2018, 1:04 pm
The trade for Gerrit Cole has been a steal so far for the Astros. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images
After almost half of the 2018 season in the books, the Astros have to be feeling really good about the trade for Gerrit Cole. Astros GM Jeff Luhnow keeps showing the world why he is one of the best in the business. The Astros did give up some good players in the trade for Cole. Colin Moran is working out just fine for the Pirates at 3rd base, but the pitchers the Astros sent over aren't performing nearly as well. Joe Musgrove hasn't been terrible but his ERA is over 4.50, and Michael Feliz has an ERA over 5.50. We're looking at a small sample size, but Houston fans love the addition of Cole to the Astros' rotation.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
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.