DeAndre Hopkins and the Texans take over the top spot. Zach Tarrant/Houstontexans.com
I really enjoyed rankings teams last week so I want to stay focused on this for a while and see how many weeks I can rank teams before I lose interest. With that being said, let’s jump right into it!
Houston Texans (Previous week ranking 1): They lead the division and continue to win. I know the first three wins of this streak felt gifted, but this one against the Broncos did not to me. The Broncos were in desperate need of a win and the Texans had just enough to pull it off. The offense could have been better in the second half, but the defense did its job and limited points. I count this as a legit win even though it took a missed FG to pull it off.
San Antonio Spurs (Previous week ranking 6): With everyone ahead of them losing since the last time I opened up Google Docs and with them being the only team to be above 500 in the Southwest, the Spurs by default move up to number 2 in the rankings.
Texas Longhorns (Previous week ranking 3): OMG DOES DANA NOT UNDERSTAND THAT HE SHOULDN’T BE GOING FOR 2 WHEN YOU CAN PLAY FOR OVERTIME?!?! Ugh, what a call. I was in Austin for the game and saw my beloved Horns fall to friend of the show Dana Holgerson. Sam Ehlinger balled out, but the defense didn’t help him out. Tough loss for the Horns, but it was at least a tough fight.
Houston Rockets (Previous week ranking 8): Carmelo Anthony did the damn thing on Friday night against the Nets. He provided another scoring threat and played some great defense in the fourth. Props to him.
Texas A&M (Previous week ranking 5): The hardest thing to do in the SEC is win games because they just mean so much more according to the conference and the Aggies learned a valuable lesson on finishing out games. Tough loss, but a lot of good can be taken away from this loss.
Houston Cougars (Previous week ranking 2): Guess that Texas Tech loss won’t hurt as much anymore now that SMU is a thing. Something about that pesky SMU squad that the Cougars can’t overcome on the road.
Dallas Mavericks (Previous week ranking 7): They are 2-7 now. They didn’t win a game all week. Blessings to them.
Fayetteville Woodpeckers (Previous week ranking: unranked): OK, Fayetteville isn’t in Texas, but they are the Houston Astros Class A Advanced team affiliate and they automatically are better than the Cowboys because of how awesome their mascot looks.
Dallas Cowboys (Previous week ranking 11): The only reason the Cowboys moved up two spots is because I ran out of teams to put ahead of them. LOLOLOLOL the Cowboys.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.