Dissecting the Astros Win
Mark DeRosa reveals how Astros' Justin Verlander altered approach to dominate Mariners
Sep 26, 2023, 3:33 pm
Dissecting the Astros Win

The Houston Astros needed an epic performance from Justin Verlander on Monday night with the team's playoff push going down to the wire. And JV delivered in spades, throwing 8 innings and only allowing 1 earned run.
Verlander changed his approach when facing left-handed batters by throwing more off-speed pitches, and dialing back the fastball usage to 32%. Against righties, JV let the heaters fly throwing 55% fastballs, 5% more than usual.
Clearly, Justin had a plan for the Seattle lineup, and it worked out great for him and the Astros.
Be sure to watch the video above as Mark DeRosa dissects how JV and the Astros took down Seattle.
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.
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.
