The Return of Wotan

Astros win 5th Wednesday game in a row.

WP: Pat Neshek (2-0)

LP: Tyler Wilson (2-3)

Save: Luke Gregerson (12)

Box Score

Game Zone

Before last year, when the Astros were generally acknowledged as the worst team in baseball, the Astros had such a knack for winning on Wednesdays that it was determined that The Norse God Wotan must be one of the Baseball Gods and he that liked to shine his light upon the woeful Astros. Last year, the team was good, and Wotan became bored and disinterested, and the Astros Wednesday record was on par with the won-loss record of every other day of the week.

This years rocky start seems to have piqued the interest of our old friend Wotan. After losing the first 3 Wednesday games this year, the Astros have now won 5 Wednesday games in a row. Is it the dollar dogs? But wait there’s more, another interesting fact, that I’m sure is being overlooked by the ABT (Astros Brain Trust); in May, the Astros are 8 wins and 2 losses in games played on Mondays. Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. By contrast the team has only 4 wins against 9 losses in games not played on Wednesdays, Mondays, or Tuesdays. That’s just ridiculous.  Maybe it’s time for these advance metrics guys to start factoring in days of the week in their equation.

Starter Collin McHugh struck out a season-high 10 over 5 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and a walk,  while surrendering 3 runs in a no-decision. His second strong start in a row without a victory to show for it. Pat Neshek earned the win with two-thirds of an inning in relief of McHugh in the sixth, and Luke Gregerson closed out the game with a scoreless ninth for his 10th save. Ken Giles in the 7th and Will Harris in the 8th were sharp as nails with holds in each of their respective innings.

After falling behind 1-0 after the first inning, Marwin Gonzales led off the third with a single, advanced to second on Tony Kemp’s sacrifice bunt, then scored on George Spinger’s RBI single. Evan Gattis, who started the night behind the plate, continued his power surge. His 2 run homer to left in the 4th put the Astros up, 3-1.

The Orioles tied it up with 2 runs in the 6th inning, and the Astros struck back in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer by Luis Valbuena to put the Astros back on top for good at 4-3. It was Valbuena’s 4th homer and 13th RBI on the season, it seems like most of that production has been in the past week.

Since Gattis’ refresher course in minor leagues, he’s hit four homers and recorded a hit in seven of eight games. Thursday Lance McCullers faces Kevin Gausman in a 7:10pm CST start.