How Dusty's decisions are only one piece of confounding Astros dilemma
BLAME GAME
19 September 2023
A lot of the issues that have plagued the Astros this season were on full display on Monday night, as the team coughed up a 2-run lead in the ninth to fall to the Orioles, 8-7.
Houston had a chance to tie the game up in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on third base and only one out. But as we've seen over the course of the season, the club wasn't able to get a timely hit in a big spot and it cost them big.
With the Astros scratching and clawing to win the division this year with only 11 games left, we wonder, where does most of the blame fall for the team's performance this season?
If we assigned a percentage of blame to these three categories (underperformance, injuries, Dusty Baker's lineup decisions) how would we divvy it up?
Plus, with so many fans and media calling for Dusty Baker to be fired, we have to wonder. Would a different manager fix what's been ailing the Astros this season?
Be sure to watch the video above as the guys break it all down.
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Angel Martínez hit a grand slam off closer Josh Hader with two outs in the 10th inning to lift the Cleveland Guardians to a 10-6 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
José Ramírez and Brayan Rocchio also homered to help the Guardians beat the Astros for a second straight night after entering the series on a 10-game skid.
Out for a second inning after throwing a scoreless ninth and with a runner on starting on second, Hader (5-2) intentionally walked Ramírez before walking Carlos Santana to load the bases. Hader struck out pinch-hitter Johnathan Rodríguez before Martínez sent a sinker 344 feet, into the first row of the seats in left field to put the Guardians on top.
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase struck out one in a scoreless 10th to end it after Jakob Junis (2-1) struck out two in the ninth to earn the win.
Houston scored two runs in the eighth inning, with an RBI single from Jose Altuve, to tie it.
Altuve had two hits and drove in four runs, and rookie Cam Smith added three hits.
Houston starter Hunter Brown, who entered with an MLB-leading 1.82 ERA, yielded six hits and a season-high six runs in six innings.
There was one on with one out in the first when Ramírez homered for a second consecutive game, giving the Guardians a 2-0 lead.
The Astros cut the lead to 2-1 when Isaac Paredes scored on a sacrifice fly by Altuve in the bottom of the inning.
Rocchio doubled to start the third before scoring on a one-out double by Nolan Jones, making it 3-1. A two-out single by Daniel Schneemann scored two more, extending the lead to 5-1.
Altuve’s two-run double cut the lead to 6-3 with no outs in the fifth. Houston got within 6-4 when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini.
Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo allowed five hits and three runs with seven strikeouts in four-plus innings.
Key moment
The grand slam by Martínez into the Crawford Boxes.
Key stat
It’s the first time Cleveland has won back-to-back games since beating the Athletics June 21-22.
Up next
Houston LHP Brandon Walter (1-1, 4.15 ERA) opposes RHP Slade Cecconi (3-4, 3.56) when the series concludes Wednesday.
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