ON SECOND THOUGHT
Why Houston Astros narrowly avoiding history was best-case scenario
After losing the first two games of the series against the A's this week, the Astros looked to avoid the sweep and bounce back with Hunter Brown on the hill. And boy did they.
Hunter Brown pitched 5 no-hit innings leading to a crucial 6-2 win over Oakland. Brown had only thrown 78 pitches when manager Dusty Baker decided to make the call to the bullpen. Which was a controversial talking point after the game.
When asked about his decision to pull Brown after the fifth inning, Baker explained that Hunter's pitch count would have only allowed him to go one more inning, regardless of the no-hitter possibility.
Baker elaborated, saying it's been a struggle for Brown recently (24 earned runs in his last 30 innings prior to Wednesday) and he wanted to get him out of the game on a high note. Especially with a rested bullpen and an off-day on Thursday.
With one down in the 9th inning, closer Ryan Pressly allowed the first hit of the game. And it might have been the best thing for the Astros. Instead of celebrating a combined no-hitter while losing a crucial series to the A's, the team can keep their focus on taking care of business against the Royals this weekend.
Be sure to check out the video above as we discuss what Brown's performance means moving forward, if Baker made the right decision to pull Hunter Brown, and why missing out on another no-hitter might be for the best long-term.
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