Heartbreak kids: How Texans, CJ Stroud can build on a last-minute loss

TEXANS ON TAP

Coming off two straight wins, there were high hopes that the Houston Texans would go on the road and beat the Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately, the Texans ran out of time, with the Falcons winning on the last drive of the game.

There were a lot of positive takeaways from the loss, with CJ Stroud playing well once again without throwing an interception. Ultimately, the Texans settled for field goals too often, and the Falcons won a heartbreaker on Sunday.

So how can the Texans get back on track and learn from the loss? The running game was a non-factor again for Houston, and having Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard back on the o-line seemed to make no difference at all.

The Texans also lost Tank Dell to a concussion, so that will be something to monitor moving forward.

Be sure to watch the video above as we address the biggest takeaways from the game, and much more!

Watch Texans on Tap (a Texans podcast) every Monday on our SportsMap Texans YouTube channel.


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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

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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