THAT'S BOLD
Dusty Baker wasn't lying about big adjustments to Astros Game 3 lineup
Oct 18, 2023, 5:39 pm
Uncle Mike is hitting second Wednesday night. Composite image by Brandon Strange.
Astros getting close to full strength with key players returning from injury
The Houston Astros have been struggling to get their bats going through the first two games of the ALCS, so manager Dusty Baker hinted some changes could be coming, and with Kyle Tucker specifically.
Our ALCS Game 3 lineup.
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Tucker hit 3rd in Game 2 of the ALCS, but he finds himself down in the 6 spot for Game 3 against Max Scherzer. One of the other changes to the lineup involves Michael Brantley. Brantley has been vaulted up to the number two spot, with Bregman now hitting 3rd.
The other big takeaway from tonight's lineup is the absence of Chas McCormick. McCormick had some rough at-bats in Game 2 of the ALCS, so Baker is opting to give Mauricio Dubon a shot in center field for Game 3.
Dubon will hit 7th behind Kyle Tucker. McCormick is actually hitting over .300 for the postseason, so he's actually playing better than it appears. However, Dubon is also one of the Astros four hitters hitting over .300 in the playoffs, so hopefully he continues to have more success on Wednesday night.
At the end of the day, the Astros will need their marquee players to step up if they want to secure a victory and eventually even the series with the Rangers. Go 'Stros!
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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.