Week 5 Preview with linebacker DeMarquis Gates
Roughnecks are back home on Saturday
Mar 5, 2020, 4:36 pm
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DeMarquis Gates
I sat down with DeMarquis Gates today to get to know him more and preview some of this week's upcoming game. In case you missed it, Gates had the amazing game winning play last week against the Dallas Renegades.
Many players view the XFL as a stepping stone back to the NFL. How has this league helped you?
"It's helped me get exposure, more film and have time to work on my technique, nail down the things I need to work on. Exactly what you said, try to get back into the NFL."
How are you liking the defensive scheme here in Houston?
"It's wonderful. Coach Cottrell and the rest of the defense staff put up a good game plan, a good defensive scheme. We just try to get in and make the plays that we can."
Seattle looked a lot better when they changed QBs. What do you judge them on? The prior three three games or what you saw late against St. Louis?
"You can take all games into account. We feel like they're going to use both quarterbacks. Both QBs have played so we're just going to be ready for both of them."
Preparing to go 5-0 is a big deal. Is there added pressure being the last unbeaten team in the league? Does that add a target?
"It definitely adds a target on our back but I don't think it's any pressure. We just have to take it one day at a time, play by play and come out with the W."
Game at a glance
The Roughnecks' defense had five big turnovers last week. This week they're expected to face both QB's from the Dragons, BJ Daniels and Brandon Silvers. The last time a team switched up QB's on Houston, it caused some confusion. The standards are set high for your Houston Roughnecks this week as they come back home to face the Seattle Dragons Saturday at 1 p.m. Make sure you purchase your tickets here. Let's get TDECU Stadium rockin' to welcome the 4-0 team home!
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Jeremy Peña and Christian Walker each hit a three-run homer, and the Houston Astros outslugged the Baltimore Orioles 10-7 on Friday night.
A little something to make your day better pic.twitter.com/whwYikHwx2
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 22, 2025
Colton Cowser went deep for Baltimore, but the Orioles couldn’t pull this game out despite twice cutting a four-run deficit to one.
Steven Okert (2-2) got the win in relief for Houston, and the Astros — who are without injured closer Josh Hader and lefty reliever Bennett Sousa — held on. Houston signed veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel and he was with the team, but the AL West-leading Astros didn’t use him. Bryan Abreu struck out four to end the game and get his second save.
Rookie catcher Samuel Basallo, who agreed to an eight-year, $67 million contract before the game, did not start for the Orioles, but entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh and tagged out a runner at the plate the following inning.
Peña’s drive to left capped a four-run third that included two Baltimore errors. Jeremiah Jackson’s two-run double made it 4-3 in the fourth, but after Orioles starter Cade Povich (2-7) was pulled with two outs in the fifth, Yennier Cano came on and immediately gave up Walker’s homer.
The Orioles trailed 7-6 after Cowser’s solo shot in the seventh, but pinch-hitter Victor Caratini’s two-run double in the eighth made it a three-run game, and Peña’s comebacker bounced off reliever Corbin Martin and into shallow right-center field for an RBI double.
Orioles infielder Vimael Machín hit a solo homer in the eighth in his first big league plate appearance since 2022.
Houston starter Lance McCullers Jr. allowed three runs in four innings after coming off the injured list (right finger blister).
Key moment
Jackson nearly made a diving catch on Caratini’s hit with two outs in the eighth, but once the ball got past him in right, two runs scored to make it 9-6.
Adding some insurance! pic.twitter.com/wKoPuHmenr
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 23, 2025
Key stat
The Astros improved to 15-8 in games in which their opponent starts a left-handed pitcher.
Up next
Cristian Javier (1-1) starts for Houston on Saturday night against Dean Kremer (9-9) of the Orioles.