Critical factors to watch as Astros seek to extend win streak in finale versus Rays

BLANCO ON THE HILL

Critical factors to watch as Astros seek to extend win streak in finale versus Rays
Ronel Blanco takes the bump for Houston. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images.

Houston Astros (64-55, first in the AL West) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (59-60, fourth in the AL East)

St. Petersburg, Florida; Wednesday, 6:50 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.02 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 126 strikeouts); Rays: Zack Littell (5-8, 4.11 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 113 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -122, Rays +102; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros are looking to keep a seven-game win streak intact when they play the Tampa Bay Rays.

Tampa Bay has a 31-33 record at home and a 59-60 record overall. The Rays have gone 35-7 in games when they scored at least five runs.

Houston is 64-55 overall and 32-29 in road games. Astros hitters have a collective .321 on-base percentage, the fourth-ranked percentage in the AL.

The teams meet Wednesday for the sixth time this season. The Astros lead the season series 3-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Christopher Morel has seven doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 53 RBI while hitting .190 for the Rays. Josh Lowe is 9-for-28 with three doubles and two home runs over the last 10 games.

Jose Altuve has 21 doubles and 15 home runs for the Astros. Alex Bregman is 16-for-45 with four doubles and five home runs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rays: 4-6, .219 batting average, 3.58 ERA, outscored by six runs

Astros: 7-3, .264 batting average, 2.79 ERA, outscored opponents by 16 runs

INJURIES: Rays: Richard Palacios: 10-Day IL (knee), Ryan Pepiot: 15-Day IL (knee), Jacob Waguespack: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (forearm)

Astros: Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), 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)

Most Popular

The Astros beat the Brewers, 9-1. Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images.

Framber Valdez pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña homered and drove in four runs as the Houston Astros defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 9-1 on Wednesday.

Houston earned just its second victory in seven games to snap Milwaukee’s three-game winning streak and leave both teams with .500 records. The Brewers were attempting to sweep a series from the Astros for the first time since 2012.

The Astros led 3-1 before Peña broke the game open by delivering a three-run homer to left off reliever Elvin Rodriguez with two outs in the sixth inning.

Valdez (2-4) struck out seven while allowing three hits, two walks and one run to earn his first win since the Astros’ March 27 season opener. He threw a season-high 101 pitches.

Milwaukee’s only run off Valdez came on Eric Haase’s fifth-inning homer, a 425-foot drive to center.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead off Quinn Priester (1-1) in the second inning as Jake Meyers hit a two-out single and scored on Zach Dezenzo’s double.

The Brewers have lost all 13 games this season in which their opponent scored first.

Five-time All-Star closer Josh Hader worked the ninth while pitching in Milwaukee for the first time since the Brewers traded him in 2022.

Key moment

The Astros led 1-0 and had runners on third and second with one out in the fifth when Peña hit a bouncer to third.

The throw home beat Dezenzo to the plate. Home plate umpire Chris Conroy initially ruled Dezenzo out, but the Astros challenged the call and replays showed the runner slid home ahead of Haase’s tag.

Key stat

Valdez has now pitched at least seven innings an MLB-leading 57 times since 2020.

Up next

The Astros host the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. Scheduled pitchers are right-hander Hunter Brown (5-1, 1.67) for the Astros and right-hander Nick Martinez (1-3, 4.19) for the Reds.

The Brewers visit the Tampa Bay Ray on Friday. Left-hander José Quintana (4-1, 2.83) will pitch for the Brewers.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM