Decisive factors for Astros in series opener against Phillies
ASTROS-PHILLIES PREVIEW
26 August 2024
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)
Jake Bauers hit a two-run homer as the Milwaukee Brewers got all their runs in the first inning of a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday.
The Brewers produced that big first-inning outburst against Hayden Wesneski, who hadn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his previous five starts this season.
Rhys Hoskins opened the scoring with a two-out, two-run double off the center-field wall. Bauers followed that up by clearing that center-field wall as he connected on a 1-2 pitch and delivered a 416-foot drive.
Wesneski (1-3) didn’t allow any more runs but only lasted four innings. He struck out three while allowing five hits and two walks.
Milwaukee’s Chad Patrick (2-3) worked a career-high 6 2/3 innings and carried a one-hit shutout into the seventh before the Astros got to him.
After Yainer Diaz and Jake Meyers hit consecutive one-out singles, Brendan Rodgers hit a three-run homer with two outs to cut Milwaukee’s lead to 4-3. Rodgers’ drive to right field was his first homer of the season.
Rodgers with his first Astros HR!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/hvR07Tbxbt
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 7, 2025
The Astros had runners on first and second with two outs in the eighth, but Nick Mears came out of the bullpen and got Diaz to hit an inning-ending grounder to shortstop Joey Ortiz. Mears had gotten the Brewers out of a two-on, one-out jam in a 5-1 victory over the Astros a night earlier.
Trevor Megill retired the side in order in the ninth for his fourth save in five opportunities. Meyers led off the inning with a deep fly that Jackson Chourio caught at the center-field warning track.
Key moment
Houston trailed 4-3 with one out in the eighth when Brewers catcher William Contreras threw out Jose Altuve, who was attempting to advance to second on a pitch in the dirt. Isaac Paredes walked and Christian Walker singled immediately after that second out, but the Astros couldn't capitalize.
Key stat
Patrick, a 26-year-old rookie, hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his seven starts.
Up next
Left-hander Framber Valdez (1-4, 4.39 ERA) pitches for Houston and right-hander Quinn Priester (1-0, 5.79) starts for Milwaukee as the Brewers attempt to complete the sweep Wednesday afternoon.
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