Houston Texans and Tommy Townsend have agreed on a two-year deal

TEXANS NEWS

Houston Texans and Tommy Townsend have agreed on a two-year deal
The Texans addressed the punter position. Photo by Bob Levey/ Getty Images.

The Houston Texans and punter Tommy Townsend have agreed on a two-year, $6 million deal, a person familiar with the contract told The Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal isn’t finalized. Townsend, a 2022 All-Pro, is leaving the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs after four seasons.

His departure leaves Matt Araiza as the lone punter on Kansas City’s roster. Araiza signed with the Chiefs last month. He was dropped from a lawsuit in December that had been filed by a woman who alleged she was raped by San Diego State football players in 2021.

The accusation against Araiza led the Buffalo Bills to release him shortly after selecting him in the NFL draft. Prosecutors later declined to file criminal charges against him after concluding that he wasn't present at the party when the alleged rape could have occurred.

Townsend averaged 47.1 yards per punt in 2023 with a net average of 41.9.

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The Astros beat the Royals, 4-3. Photo by Kevin M. Cox/Getty Images.

Jeremy Peña had a season-high four hits, capped by a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, to give the Houston Astros a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

The Astros trailed by 1 when Zach Dezenzo singled with one out in the eighth and was lifted for pinch-runner Chas McCormick. Mauricio Dubón’s second double of the game dropped into the left field corner and scored McCormick, tying the game and chasing Michael Lorenzen (3-4).

Carlos Estévez took over and Peña lined his third pitch into left field, sending Dubón home and putting the Astros on top.

Josh Hader walked one in a scoreless ninth for his 10th save after Bryan King (1-0) threw a scoreless eighth for the win.

Isaac Paredes homered for a second straight game for the Astros after his shot in the ninth inning Tuesday night lifted them to the 2-1 win.

Maikel Garcia homered and doubled as the Royals built a 3-1 lead.

Dubón’s first double came with one out in the sixth and he scored on a double by Peña to get the Astros within 3-2.

Houston’s Colton Gordon allowed seven hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings in his major league debut.

Lorenzen yielded seven hits and four runs in 7 1/3 innings for the loss.

Garcia put the Royals up 1-0 with his towering home run to start the second inning. There were two outs and two on in the inning when Jonathan India then smacked an RBI double off the left field wall to make it 2-0.

The Royals had runners at first and second with two outs in the third when Jake Meyers robbed Hunter Renfroe of extra bases with a nifty catch on the track in center.

Paredes homered in the fourth before Garcia’s RBI double that bounced off second base and into the outfield pushed the lead to 3-1.

Key moment

Dubón’s RBI double in the eighth that tied it and chased Lorenzen.

Key stat

Peña has been great in 16 games since moving to the leadoff spot and has five doubles, three homers, 15 RBIs and 28 hits.

Peña caught up with Julia Morales after the game to talk about the big win!

Up next

The Royals are off Thursday and RHP Hunter Brown (6-1, 1.48 ERA) starts for Houston on Thursday night in the opener of a series at Texas with RHP Jacob deGrom (3-1, 2.72) on the mound.

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