BREGGY BOMB SAVES THE DAY!
Bregman walk-off homer lifts Astros over Dodgers 7-6
Jul 27, 2024, 9:34 pm
Astros defeat the Dodgers, 7-6. Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images.
Alex Bregman hit a game-ending homer off Blake Treinen in the ninth inning that sailed over the left-field train tracks, and the Houston Astros overcame Shohei Ohtani's National League-leading 32nd home run to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 on Saturday night.
BREGGY BOMB TO THE TRACKS!!!#RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/rITGhe9sXm
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 28, 2024
Houston trailed 5-0 in the sixth and 6-4 in the eighth before Yainer Diaz tripled off Daniel Hudson, and Jeremy Peña and Jon Singleton hit RBI singles.
Bregman drove a 1-0 sinker from Treinen (5-3) that went 407 feet for his 14th home run.
Josh Hader (4-5) pitched a perfect ninth for the Astros (55-49), who have won three straight and 22 of 33.
Los Angeles (62-44) has lost three of four following a five-game winning streak.
Cavan Biggio hit an RBI double in the second and Ohtani doubled the lead in the third with 443-foot drive into the second level in right, a 118.7 mph drive, according to Statcast.
Gavin Lux and Teoscar Hernández hit RBI singles in the fifth and Biggio homered in the eighth, his fourth this season and second with the Dodgers.
Diaz, Peña, Jake Meyers and Victor Caratini had four straight two-out RBI singles in the sixth against Evan Phillips. With two on, Anthony Banda struck out Jon Singleton.
Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Houston's Ronel Blanco gave up four runs and three hits in 4 1/3 innings, tying a career high with nine strikeouts.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Dodgers: RHP Walker Buehler (right hip inflammation) allowed four runs and eight hits in four innings Friday night in a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City. Manager Dave Roberts said Buehler will have another rehab start “and hopefully, get through the fifth then we will see where that goes.” ... 1B Freddie Freeman was placed on the family emergency list and C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck discomfort) threw over 50 pitches in a bullpen Saturday, manager Joe Espada said. Verlander’s next step will be throwing off a game mound next week, Espada said. … RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) will throw a bullpen session early next week, Espada said.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-8, 5.65 ERA) starts Sunday in the series finale against Dodgers RHP River Ryan (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Astros closed out their latest road trip with a winning record, a feat made more impressive considering the turbulence at the back of the rotation. Brandon Walter and Ryan Gusto both endured rough outings, with Walter in particular getting tagged hard. Still, Houston salvaged the finale, thanks largely to Mauricio Dubón’s breakout performance. The utilityman launched two home runs to power an offense that’s quietly been heating up for weeks.
But even with a solid finish, not everything is trending upward.
Josh Hader, who’s been one of the game’s most reliable closers this season, has begun to show signs of vulnerability. He’s allowed a home run in three of his last six outings. While his overall numbers remain strong, the long ball—a problem that plagued him last year—is starting to creep back into the picture.
As the Astros return home, the schedule offers no breather. They’ll face the Phillies and Cubs before a brief trip to Colorado to take on the struggling Rockies. After that comes a marquee series against the defending champion Dodgers in Los Angeles. With three of their next four opponents being legitimate World Series threats, the coming stretch looms large.
Can the bats keep pace?
If the last month is any indication, the Astros have reason to feel optimistic. Christian Walker has started to show signs of life after a quiet start to the season, hitting .260 with a .762 OPS and five home runs over the past 30 days. José Altuve has been scorching with a .302 average and .901 OPS in that span, while Jeremy Peña has taken things to another level, batting .384 with a 1.009 OPS.
As a team, the Astros rank 7th in OPS, 5th in runs, 3rd in batting average, and 7th in home runs over the last 30 days. It’s a surge that’s come at the right time—and one they’ll need to sustain.
The injury picture is also starting to shift in Houston’s favor.
Cristian Javier threw a 20-pitch live BP today in West Palm Beach. According to Joe Espada, he was up to 95 mph.
Luis Garcia should throw a live BP next week.
Spencer Arrighetti is still not throwing off a mound yet.
Yordan Alvarez has not resumed hitting.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 20, 2025
Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome that Christian Javier recently threw a live batting practice session, touching 95 mph as he continues his return from Tommy John surgery. JP France has thrown multiple live BPs and could be ready to help if things continue to progress with his shoulder. Luis Garcia, however, remains further away despite undergoing surgery more than two years ago. He's expected to throw a live BP this week.
Spencer Arrighetti (thumb) should be able to return in August, and Lance McCullers has resumed throwing and is currently on the 15-day IL with a foot sprain.
The Astros are winning. The offense is rolling. The reinforcements are on the way. But with a brutal stretch looming, the team’s margin for error is about to be put to the test.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!