BEST OF THE BEST
Astros showing again this playoff strength was no fluke
Jun 1, 2023, 11:49 am
Astros showing again this playoff strength was no fluke
The Houston Astros have yet to fire on all cylinders when it comes to their offense this season, but the one constant that continues to deliver is the pitching.
And while the starting pitching has been great, even with multiple injuries, the bullpen continues to be a strength for this team.
Often relief pitching can be up and down from year to year, but the Astros have managed to maintain their high level of performance after a historic postseason.
Things haven't been perfect, Rafael Montero hasn't lived up to his numbers from last year. But the team is getting big contributions from players like Phil Maton, who we didn't expect to be this dominant in 2023. And the rest of the bullpen has been nails for the most part.
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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.