How 7 years worth of evidence finally vindicated Houston Astros
FACTS NOT NOISE
01 September 2023
As we look back at the sign-stealing scandal and how things have played over the last several years, one thing is very clear. The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox benefited from the scandal way more than the Astros.
Almost seven seasons have now passed by, and only the Astros have been in the mix every year for a championship. Compare that to the Red Sox and Yankees, who are currently battling over which team will finish last in the AL East.
Alex Cora has always needed an edge to win a championship, like 2018 when he took the tactics he learned from Carlos Beltran in Houston, and used them to help win a championship with Boston.
Just recently, Astros starter JP France was tipping pitches and the Red Sox took advantage, tagging France for 10 earned runs. Just one week later, France made the adjustment and led the Astros to a victory over the BoSox allowing only two runs over 5.2 innings.
Plus, we discuss how the perception of Jose Altuve has changed in recent years.
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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