McCullers and Bullpen put on a display in 4-1 victory

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Everyone talks about how great of a franchise the New York Yankees are. Of course they’ve won more World Series than any other team. No other team has won even half as many World Series as the Yankees have.

I want to talk about Yankee losses. The Yankees have lost over 7,618 games. The Astros have only lost 4,459 games. The Astros would have to lose 3,159 games in a row and the Yankees would have to win 3,159 games in a row before the Astros could be as big of losers as the Yankees are. My friends, that ain’t happening. I think it is safe to say the Yankees will always be bigger losers than the Astros.

Monday and Tuesday the Yankees attempted to make a dent in the deficit by winning the first two games of the series. Wednesday, the Astros Lance McCullers said he’d seen enough and with Wotan’s blessing, he went out and pitched a gem. McCullers worked 6 innings, striking out 10 while surrendering 5 hits and two base on balls, giving up only one run on a solo homer by Brian McCann. Ken Giles, Luke Gregerson, and Will Harris were all outstanding, each working an unblemished inning with Harris picking up his 11th save.

The Astros scored all four of their runs off Yankee starter Masahiro Tanaka who lasted 5 innings. Colby Rasmus broke out of his 0 for 30 slump with a 2 run dinger, Carlos Correa drove in his 65th RBI. Carlos Gomez knocked in his 29 RBI before leaving the game with a hammy injury. Jose Altuve picked up 2 more hits and his average is at .357, his OPS is .988.

The Rangers lost on Wednesday, the lead over the Astros is now 2.5. No game on Thursday. Astros travel to Detriot and face the Tigers in a game that starts at 6:10 pm CST. Colin McHugh starts for the Good Guys and Matt Boyd for the Tigers.

Doug Fister and Chris Devenski combine to shutout the A’s 7-0

WP: Fister (10-6)

LP: Mendgen (1-5)

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Jake Marisnick and the Astros pounded the Daniel Mendgen and the A’s Wednesday to avoid sweep. After dropping this year’s first three Wednesday games, the Astros have now won 12 Wednesdays in a row.

Fast working Doug Fister limited the A’s to 4 hits and gave away 2 free passes while striking out 5 in 7 solid innings to become the first Astro pitcher to reach double figures in wins. The Astros are 13 and 6 in Fister’s 19 starts. Chris Devenski followed Fister with a perfect 2 innings of relief, striking out 3.

The Astros opened an early lead with one run in the first and 2 runs in the second inning. Jake Marisnick led the hit parade with 2 hits, Jose Altuve and George Springer also added 2 hits apiece. Carlos Correa drove in three runs and in the post game interview mentioned Altuve getting on base so often as the reason he is leading the team in RBI.

Altuve is something like 12 for last 17. He went 8 for 12 with 2 walks for the three games in Oakland and extended his road hitting streak to 19 games. He is amazing, he is hitting like you used to see Rod Carew or Tony Gwynn hit, but with more power than they ever displayed.

The Astros are 20-14 in day games this season.

The Astros are off on Thursday, this is good, they are horrible on Thursdays with a 1-8 record. On Friday, the Astros will  host the Angels. Lance McCullers (4-4) takes the mound against the Angels’ Matt Shoemaker (5-9).

Astros outlast the Mariners to sweep the series

WP: Giles (1-3)

LP: Diaz (0-2)

Save: Gregerson (14)

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Facing Mariners starter and forgotten Astro Wade LeBlanc, the Astros scored three runs in the first, and one run in both the second and third innings. Carlos Gomez contributed a double and a triple, Carlos Correra added a double, and Evan Gattis swatted a homerun. Leading 5 to 0 going in to the fourth inning, it looked like the Astros were cruising. Then Mike Fiers started throwing meat and couldn’t make it out of the inning before surrendering 4 runs, making the score 5-4.

Chris Devenski took over for Fiers and stemmed the tide shutting down the Mariners over the next 2.2 innings. In the bottom of the 6th inning the Astros pounced on Nathan Karns, Gomez scored from third on a fielders choice by Gattis when Kyle Seager fielded the ball and subsequently threw to the visitors on-deck circle instead of the home plate. J.R Reed scored the second run of the inning on a single by George Springer. The Astros ended the 6th inning leading 7 to 4, once again things were looking comfortable for the Good Guys.

Enter Michael Feliz for the 7th inning, the good news–he struck out three, the bad news–he surrendered three runs and the lead after Seth Smith homered driving in Ketel Marte and Leonys Martin and tying the game at 7-7. Ken Giles took over in the 8th inning and made it out unscathed, he got Pulgasari to ground out to short, and then struck out both Adam Lind and Chris Iannetta.

Facing Edwin Diaz in the bottom of the 8th, Jason Castro led off with his second double of the night and was promptly replaced at second by pinch runner Jake Marisnick. After Springer K’d on a foul tip, Luis Valbuena gave the Astros a 2 run lead when he smashed a homer to the upper deck in RF to make the score 9-7 in favor of the Astros. It was close to a carbon copy of Valbuena’s previous night’s HR.

A.J. Reed decided Will Harris needed the night off and gave the ball in the 9th to former closer Luke Gregerson for a chance at his 14th save of the year. After getting Ketel to ground out, he walked the next two batters and the gave up a run scoring double to Robinson Cano. With the score now 9-8, Gregerson got Nelson Cruz out on strikes for the second out. Kyle Seager owns Gregerson, so Hinch ordered him walked to load the bases for Pulgasari. The big Korean was unable to do any damaged and Gregerson got him out on strikes to end the game and preserve the dramatic win.

With the win coupled with the Rangers loss the Astros are now 6.5 games back from first place in the AL West. Thursday the Astros welcome the Oakland A’s to town for a four game series. Doug Fister will start for the Astros and Rich Hill will be the A’s starter. The game will start at 7:10

Astros complete road sweep with 10 – 4 victory over Anaheim.

W: Keuchel (5-9)

L: Weaver (6-7)

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Starting off with a 1 run lead, Dallas Keuchel threw 55 pitches in the first two innings. He didn’t look like a Cy young award winner. After flirting with disaster and surrendering 2 runs, he settled down and watched his team score in 6 of 9 frames, three of those with crooked numbers. In the end it was not close and for the second week in a row the Astros sweep the Angels in a three game series

Jose Altuve continues to amaze, he had another 4 hit night, 2 singles, a double, and a triple. His on-base streak now stands at 32 games. He is second in the league in OPS at 1.004, first in batting average at .357, first in OBP, fourth in slugging, and second in WAR, first in hits. I think he must be the leading MVP candidate.

It’s been quite an offensive turnaround the past couple of weeks. It went from famine to feast. It seemed like Luis Valbuena was 0 for April, now he is hitting .259 and counting the one he hit Wednesday, he now has 9 home runs. George Springer hit his 17th HR and is making a strong case to be added to the All-Star roster.

All hail Wotan, the Astro have now won 10 Wednesday games in a row!

The Astros are off Thursday and Friday open a three game series with the White Sox. Mike Fiers (5-3) will go against Miguel Gonzalez (1-3) in a 7:10 pm CST start time.

Springer 8th inning homer lifts Astros past the Cardinals.

WP: Sipp (1-2)

LP: Siegrist (4-2)

Save: Harris (5)

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Adam Wainwright commercial A Damn Wayne Wright Commercial

The game started as a pitcher’s duel between Adam Wainwright and Collin McHugh, in the end, neither factored in the decision. After the Cards took a 1 to 0 lead in the bottom of the 7th inning, the Astros doubled down in the top of the eight when George Springer smashed his 15 home run of the season to give the Astros a 2-1 lead. It turned out to be all they would need, but for good measure, they tacked on a couple of more runs in the top of the ninth as well.

Springer was also a star in the field, making some great throws, picking up one outfield assist and he nearly had two more.

After dropping the first three Wednesday games of the season, the Astros have now won eight Wednesday games in a row.

The Astros have Thursday off. Friday they welcome the Reds from Cincinnati, Lance McCullers will go againt mound opponent John Lamb. Haircuts in homerun alley?!?!? Who goes to a game to get a haircut? Gym bags to the first 10 thousand or something like that.