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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Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz homered, Jesús Sánchez ended a lengthy slump with five hits and the Houston Astros beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Thursday night to snap a four-game losing streak.
The Astros scored early and often against Baltimore rookie Brandon Young, who six days earlier in Houston had a perfect game ruined with two outs in the eighth inning. In the rematch, the AL West leaders built a 7-1 lead in the third and coasted.
Walker hit a two-run homer in the first, Carlos Correa singled in two runs in the second and Diaz connected in the third with a runner on after Sánchez delivered an RBI single.
Sánchez broke an 0-for-29 skid with a first-inning single and finished 5 for 5, his most productive day with Houston since being acquired from Miami in a July 31 trade. The five hits tied a career high.
Young (1-7) gave up seven runs and nine hits before leaving with one out in the sixth after hurting his left hamstring while covering first base on a grounder.
Jason Alexander (4-1) allowed two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings for Houston. Since being claimed off waivers from the Athletics on May 18, the right-hander is 4-1 with a save in eight appearances.
Dylan Beavers hit his first major league homer for Baltimore in the second inning and added a run-scoring groundout in the sixth.
The Orioles had won three straight and six of seven.
Key moment
Walker’s 17th home run with two outs in the first got the Astros rolling against Young, who yielded only one hit in Houston on Aug. 15.
Key stat
Not only did Sánchez end his slump, but Houston C Victor Caratini broke an 0-for-17 run with a second-inning single.
Up next
Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4, 6.90 ERA) faces Baltimore lefty Cade Povich (2-6, 4.98) on Friday.