Well that looked like a different team than we are used to seeing lately, and that’s okay. The Astros win 2-0 against the Cleveland Guardians and take their first series on the road.
With Peter Lambert making his second start of the season, and coming into the game with an ERA over 7.00, there was only so much that Astros fans were expecting to get out of him. But they were pleasantly surprised with his outing, putting together his best since the 2023 season.
In arguably the best outing of any Astros starter so far this season, Lambert threw six innings of shutout baseball. He allowed just three hits while walking three and striking out eight and leaving with something not many Astros starters have been able to say this year…. a lead.
He is now the fifth Astros starter to go at least six innings in a start and the fifth different pitcher to do so.
That’s because the Astros got the scoring started in familiar fashion.
Facing off against the Guardians Tanner Bibee, who had only allowed one run at home this whole season so far, Houston was hot out the gate. A leadoff double from Carlos Correa gave Yordan Alvarez a chance to hit his MLB leading 11th home run, a two-run bomb, to give the Astros a 2-0 lead right away with no outs.
Outside of those two back-to-back hits, there was not much offense on either side. After the top of the first inning, the two teams combined for just nine hits, with none of them coming around to score and three of those coming from Alvarez, who finished with a 3-4 with both of the team’s RBI.
After Lambert was pulled, Joe Espada went to the Astros’ league-worst bullpen, entering the game with the second-worst bullpen ERA in baseball with 5.91. He first turned the ball over to AJ Blubaugh, who gave the Astros a clean inning, striking out one, before giving it over to Steven Okert next.
After getting Steven Kwan to groundout and giving up a single to Chase DeLauter, a failed double-play, started by a stellar play from Correa at short, off the bat of José Ramírez would be the last batter for Okert, leaving with the tying run at the plate and two outs for Enyel De Los Santos.
He not only came in and finished off the eighth inning, but came back out for the ninth and helped the Astros secure their 10th win of the season with a four-out save. It got scary in the top of the ninth after De Los Santos allowed two runners on, bringing the winning run up to the plate, but a fly out finished the game and gave the Astros the win.
This not only marks their 10th win of the year, but their second shutout, with their first coming back at the beginning of April. They now get a much needed day off before starting a home series against the New York Yankees.
Feature photo from @astros on X, Source Link
Aw shucks, missed this one while working. Yay for Peter, Peter, innings eater ! And don’t ever trade Yordaddy away. #44’s banner should hang with the other ‘H’ greats, eventually.
Another Petey start, another EIGHT swinging strikeouts.
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/824449/video/peter-lambert-s-six-shutout-innings
Peter Lambert’s 8 swinging strikeouts: (let’s see if this video embed works)
When Joe has the 6 inning game plan, all is good. Lambert’s swing and miss was real. World Series is back on the menu!!!
Was stunned to see another team has a worse bullpen ERA than us but I realized our pen has given up a considerable amount of inherited runners which don’t count on their ledger
Still nervy but it’s good that we’re able to get some better starting pitching of late
This new Lambert is fascinating to me. First start he had 23 whiffs, this one another 16. That’s so much.
This is his MLB Whiff% history
2019 – 16.9% (1st percentile)
2020-2022 (Injury- Tommy John, limited MLB time in 2021)
2023 – 21.6% (15th percentile)
2024 – 22.0% (21st percentile)
2026 – (NPB)
2026 – 46.9% (99th percentile)
From 1st to 99th percentile! This is nuts! After Yordan, Lambert is the most interesting part of this season so far!
That’s bananas, but you love to see it.
They keep swinging, trying to take his head off, but…
…there can be only one.
Lambert on the mound.
“Peter Lambert throws a six inning shutout with crazy whiff numbers” was definitely not on my April bingo card, but then again what has been this season. It’s just nice to see a happy surprise and not a crappy one.