The Astros have now lost six of their last seven games
It’s the most important series of the season to this point. Therefore, it’s baffling to us mere fans why both of the Astros’ All-Star calibre starters weren’t scheduled in this series after the All-Star break.
But tonight’s starter, Brandon Walters said, “who needs Framber Valdez?” Maybe that’s the strategy. Maybe coach Joe Espada knew the Astros offense as currently configured would not score enough runs to win even if Sandy Koufax was pitching, so why waste you best arm now. But Valdez wouldn’t have thrown a better game than Walter and no team has much of a chance to win getting only four hits and scoring only one run.
Too bad for Walter, who was splendid. He held Seattle to one run in six innings, allowing only three hits and a walk while striking out seven. His only mistake was a fourth inning home run to Julio Rodriguez, leaving the game trailing only 1-0.
However, the bullpen could not keep the game close against the red-hot bats of the Mariners. Bennet Sousa surrendered a seventh inning home run to Mitch Garver, and a combination Steven Okert /Hector Neris meltdown in the eighth put the game out of reach, each credited with allowing two runs.
The Astros’ only run came on an Isaac Paredes double in the eighth which scored Brice Mathews, who worked a walk. Earlier, Mathews had his first major league hit.
The Astros were 0-9 with runners in scoring position. Perhaps with a few timely hits the Astros would have gone high-leverage-relief in the eighth inning to preserve a slight lead. But let’s not forget who the Astros were facing: famous Astros-killer Luis Castillo, whose two-seamer was like swinging at wind.
Or maybe the Astros can’t wait any longer to get Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, and Jake Meyers back in the lineup.
Lance McCullers is scheduled to start tomorrow and Hunter Brown Sunday. If these two continue to pitch after the break they way they were immediately before, the Astros could easily find their once commanding seven game lead in the AL West quickly reduced to two.