How Houston Astros just crossed into new area of concern for righting the ship
07 May 2024
The Yankees host the Astros on Tuesday night. Composite Getty Image.
What a weekend it could have been. The Astros had an opportunity to take the series from the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, but the bullpen once again let the team down. A different day, but the same old story.
Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader both allowed runs late in the game, and the Astros' offense wasn't able to pick them up. Bullpen struggles and an inability to hit with runners in scoring position have been the two main factors haunting the club in 2024.
Houston now heads to New York to face the Yankees sitting 10 games under .500. This will be an important stretch for the Astros as one quarter of the season will be in the books next week.
While there are 128 more games to play, if things don't change soon, this team could be in real trouble. There are clubs we can point to that got off to a worse start than this version of the Astros and still won a World Series. Houston fans certainly remember the 2019 Washington Nationals, who got off to a terrible start and won a championship.
But you know you're in a bad spot when you're having to point to outliers like the 2019 Nationals to keep hope alive. However, there is one more factor giving us hope for this season. Everything has seemingly gone wrong for the 'Stros this year. Perhaps if they can get on a roll, momentum will snowball in the other direction.
They certainly have the talent on this roster to do it. But it needs to happen soon before they dig themselves a hole they can no longer get out of.
Don't miss the video above as we discuss who has to step up for the Astros to right the ship before the point of no return.
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel! We'll continue to drop more episodes throughout the week.
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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