GAME PLAN
How Dusty Baker plans to attack Mariners in must-win game for Astros
Sep 27, 2023, 5:47 pm
Michael Brantley will start in left field in the finale against Seattle. Composite Getty Image.
It all comes down to this. If the Astros are able to come away with a victory on Wednesday night, they control their own destiny moving forward. But if they fall to the Mariners, they will likely have to sweep Arizona and get some help from the Rangers to have a chance at the postseason.
How big is Wednesday's game?
If the Astros lose, they would have to sweep Arizona if the Mariners just split the four games with the Rangers to finish ahead of Seattle.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) September 27, 2023
The Astros are currently a half game up on Seattle, but a loss tonight would push Houston out of the final wild card spot and give the Mariners a leg up.
How will Dusty deploy his hitters in the biggest game of the season?
Tonight's lineup is missing several key pieces to the Astros' offense. Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz. McCormick might be out of the lineup due to getting hit by a pitch on Tuesday night. And Diaz's only shot at playing was hitting DH, with Martin Maldonado catching for Framber Valdez as he has done all season.
Baseball at night.
đź•—: 8:40 PM
đź“ş: @ATTSportsNetSW
đź“»: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM pic.twitter.com/8lSDFeq8Xc
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 27, 2023
In what could be a silver lining, Michael Brantley has returned to play left field, with Yordan Alvarez sliding over to the DH spot. And once again Dusty Baker is sticking to his guns with Jose Abreu hitting 5th once again.
Let's hope Framber Valdez has one of his classic performances, because runs could be tough to come by if the top 4 guys in the lineup don't come through with big performances.
Let's go get this one! Go Astros!
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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.