Adolis Garcia walks-off Astros again as Astros bats go silent and pitchers can’t find the strike zone.
Astros alumni are killing us.
We already know all too well the vendetta Ramon Laureano has against the Astros. But he’s not the only A’s player with Astros connections damaging the Stros, like Jed Lowrie or Tony Kemp for example.
Today it was the Rangers’ Mike Foltynewicz, former Astros first round pick, who came into today’s game with a 5.18 season ERA. He silenced Astros hitters today with seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits and two walks.
The base on balls was again the nemesis of Astros pitchers today, allowing eight total, yet despite allowing six walks, Astros starter Cristian Javier managed to go 4.2 innings allowing only one run.
That run scored after Javier walked three in the fifth, and scored on a fourth walk by reliever Brooks Raley with two outs.
The Rangers added another run in the seventh against Bryan Abreu, who allowed a lead off single to Willie Calhoun, followed by an RBI double to Nick Solak.
The Astros tied the score in the eighth with the help of a wild pitch by relief pitcher Brett Martin. The inning started with singles by Jason Castro and Jose Altuve. An Alex Bregman single loaded the bases followed by a wild pitch, scoring Castro and advancing all runners.
Altuve scored the second run on a Michael Brantley groundout.
The game went into extra innings when the Astros blew a golden opportunity in the 10th.
Altuve led off the inning with a single after fouling two bunt attempts, advancing the runner on second, Castro, to third. However, Carlos Correa followed with a popup, Alex Bregman struck out, and Michael Brantley ended the threat with a lineout to center.
On the other hand the Rangers did not miss their opportunity to score. Nick Solak, who started the inning on second, advanced to third on a groundout. Solak scored on a routine grounder to the walk-off hero of Friday, Adolis Garcia. Jose Altuve, playing in, was able to field the ball, but was unable to make a strong throw to prevent the run.
Garcia got credit for the RBI single, and Ryan Pressly got the undeserved credit for the loss.
The Rangers completed the sweep of the Astros just as they enter into one of the toughest stretches of the season, facing the World Champion Dodgers, the Padres, and the AL East leading Red Sox.
Astros pitchers need to find the strike zone against these competitors, who undoubtedly will take better advantage of eight walks than the Rangers did, who were only 1 for 10 with risp, and left 10 runners on base.
And the meat of the order needs to heat up too. Today positions 2-5 in the order were only 2 for 18.
The Astros are off tomorrow before their series with the Dodgers Tuesday
Box score and videos HERE.
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