SERIES PREVIEW
Astros aim for pivotal victories in showdown with Pirates
Jul 29, 2024, 3:18 pm
The Astros host Paul Skenes and the Pirates Monday night at Minute Maid. Composite Getty Image.
Pittsburgh Pirates (53-52, third in the NL Central) vs. Houston Astros (55-50, first in the AL West)
Houston; Monday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Paul Skenes (6-1, 1.93 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 97 strikeouts); Astros: Jake Bloss (0-1, 6.94 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 11 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Pirates -153, Astros +129; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday to begin a three-game series.
Houston has a 55-50 record overall and a 30-22 record at home. The Astros have a 43-26 record in games when they record eight or more hits.
Pittsburgh has a 53-52 record overall and a 27-26 record on the road. The Pirates have the sixth-ranked team ERA in the NL at 3.83.
Monday’s game is the first time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yordan Alvarez has 25 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs and 54 RBI for the Astros. Jeremy Pena is 14-for-38 with two doubles, two home runs and six RBI over the last 10 games.
Connor Joe has 18 doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 31 RBI for the Pirates. Oneil Cruz is 13-for-40 with five doubles, a triple and three home runs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 5-5, .248 batting average, 3.83 ERA, even run differential
Pirates: 6-4, .252 batting average, 3.54 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
INJURIES: Astros: Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Kyle Tucker: 10-Day IL (shin), 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)
Pirates: Nick Gonzales: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Bailey Falter: 15-Day IL (arm), Daulton Jefferies: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jared Jones: 15-Day IL (lat), Ryan Borucki: 60-Day IL (tricep), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Here's the Astros lineup against Paul Skenes:
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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.