Houston can win series on Sunday
Timely hitting helps Astros edge out D-backs to even series
Sep 19, 2020, 8:48 pm
Houston can win series on Sunday
The Astros had two losses over the last 24 hours; one a game against the Diamondbacks in the series opener on Friday night, the other the news that their recovering ace, Justin Verlander, announced Saturday afternoon that he is opting to undergo Tommy John surgery. The decision and surgery will likely sideline Verlander through 2021 when his current contract with Houston ends.
With that, the Astros headwinds continued to increase, meaning a win to even the series with Arizona on Saturday would be a much-needed pick-me-up. Here's how they did:
Final Score: Astros 3, Diamondbacks 2.
Record: 26-26, second in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Enoli Paredes (3-2, 2.84 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Luke Weaver (1-8, 6.51 ERA).
Kole Calhoun, who drove in four runs, including a home run in Friday's game, would start the scoring on Saturday with a solo home run off of Cristian Javier in the top of the second, giving Arizona an early 1-0 lead. Javier allowed another run in the top of the third, giving up a leadoff single that would move to third on a groundout then score on a sac fly, doubling the lead to 2-0.
Javier finished the third and tossed a 1-2-3 fourth, but whether it be due to a pre-determined pitch count or other situation, he would not go any further, ending his night there on just 77 pitches. His final line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 77 P.
The Astros were able to cut the lead in half in the bottom of the third, getting a leadoff single by Josh Reddick, who would move to third after a walk and fielder's choice before scoring on an RBI-groundout by Jose Altuve, making it 2-1. Enoli Paredes was first out of Houston's bullpen, taking over for Javier in the top of the fifth and retiring six straight batters for two perfect frames.
Houston would get to Luke Weaver in the bottom of the sixth, getting a leadoff single by George Springer, who would score from first on an RBI-double by Altuve to tie the game. Altuve would come around as the go-ahead run later in the inning on an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker, knocking Weaver out of the game as the Astros took their first lead of the game, 3-2.
Moving the line. #LosAstros #PorLaH pic.twitter.com/ysFW1baxfB
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 20, 2020
Josh James was the next reliever for Houston in the top of the seventh, and despite getting into a jam by issuing a one-out walk and hitting the next batter, he was able to get out of it. It was thanks to a great play by Michael Brantley, who started a double play by catching a lineout and throwing a runner out at second to end the inning.
Pitcher's best friend. #LosAstros #PorLaH pic.twitter.com/NhhZcHuuFU
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 20, 2020
Brooks Raley had the eighth and erased a one-out walk by retiring the next two batters to maintain the one-run lead. After a scoreless bottom of the eighth, the Astros turned to closer Ryan Pressly to get another save and finish the one-run game. Pressly would do so, as Houston would move back up to .500 and even the series 1-1 heading into the rubber game on Sunday.
Up Next: The finale of this series between Houston and Arizona, and Houston's last regular-season home game of 2020, will get underway at 1:10 PM Central on Sunday. Madison Bumgarner (0-4, 8.53) ERA will be on the mound for the D-backs, while Jose Urquidy (1-1, 2.70 ERA) will start for the Astros.
Jalen Green scored a season-high 37 points as the Houston Rockets built a big lead early and cruised to a 135-119 win over the Washington Wizards on Thursday night.
Fred VanVleet added 27 points for the Rockets, who won their fourth straight game.
All of Houston’s starters scored in double figures in the second game since Alperen Sengun injured his knee and ankle Sunday. The Rockets outrebounded Washington 46-32 despite being without the star big man.
“We’ve been playing really good,” Green said. “Defense has been our main priority because we’re very talented offensively. When we get out in transition and run it's very hard to guard us. So it all starts with defense and that's been really good.”
Jordan Poole scored 25 points off the bench for the Wizards, who dropped their second game in a row after winning their previous two. Deni Avdija added 24 points and Kyle Kuzma had 23 for Washington.
“I thought we started well (but) it got away from us a little bit in the second quarter, ” Washington interim coach Brian Keefe said. “We never really got our defense in the game. The ball was getting in the paint way too easily.”
The Rockets led by as many as 24 points and were up by 15 points to open the fourth quarter.
Green talked about how they're adjusting to playing without Sengun, who is out indefinitely with his injuries.
“When it's just the small unit in, we play a lot faster and get out and run,” he said.
A 6-0 run by the Wizards, with four points from Avdija, cut Houston’s lead to 112-101 early in the fourth. But the Rockets recovered and pushed their advantage to 121-105 midway through the quarter, powered by two 3-pointers from Green.
Washington trailed by 13 later in the fourth before Houston scored the next eight points, with four from rookie Amen Thompson, to make it 133-112 with about two minutes left.
The Rockets were up by 22 with about four minutes left in the third quarter before Washington cut the lead to 110-95 entering the fourth. Poole made three 3-pointers in that stretch for the Wizards.
UP NEXT
Wizards: Visit Chicago Saturday night.
Rockets: Host Cleveland Saturday.