ASTROS-PHILLIES PREVIEW
Decisive factors for Astros in series opener against Phillies
Aug 26, 2024, 1:42 pm
The Phillies host the Astros on Monday night. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.
Houston Astros (70-60, first in the AL West) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (76-54, first in the NL East)
Philadelphia; Monday, 6:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 136 strikeouts); Phillies: Zack Wheeler (12-6, 2.73 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 170 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Phillies -161, Astros +137; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Phillies play the Houston Astros after Garrett Stubbs had four hits against the Royals on Sunday.
Philadelphia is 76-54 overall and 42-23 in home games. The Phillies have the third-ranked team batting average in the NL at .259.
Houston has a 70-60 record overall and a 35-31 record on the road. The Astros have the ninth-best team on-base percentage in MLB play at .321.
Monday’s game is the first time these teams meet this season.
2022 World Series rematch
Bregman 3B
Alvarez LF
Diaz C
Peña SS
Singleton DH
Caratini 1B
Gamel RF
Meyers CF
Whitcomb 2B
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 26, 2024
TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Schwarber leads the Phillies with 28 home runs while slugging .471. Trea Turner is 14-for-43 with three doubles, a home run and seven RBI over the last 10 games.
Jose Altuve has 22 doubles and 18 home runs for the Astros. Alex Bregman is 13-for-44 with two doubles and six home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Phillies: 6-4, .298 batting average, 3.21 ERA, outscored opponents by 25 runs
Astros: 5-5, .266 batting average, 2.97 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runs
INJURIES: Phillies: Spencer Turnbull: 60-Day IL (back), Luis Ortiz: 60-Day IL (ankle), Dylan Covey: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
Astros: Yordan Alvarez: day-to-day (neck), J.P. France: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Ryan Pressly: 15-Day IL (back), Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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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.