It can’t possibly get worse than this. Today, Astros pitching served more grand slams than your local Denny’s. This game marked yet another low mark in an already ignominious season for last-place Astros pitching and was the team’s 12th loss in their last 17 games.
Time to tank, anyone?
This game started as a pitching duel between Orioles starter Chris Bassitt and the Astros’ surprise stopper, Peter Lambert. Twenty-nine-year-old Lambert, who pitched six shutout innings in his last start, no-hit the Orioles for 3.2 innings until a walk and a Jeremiah Jackson double scored the game’s first run.
Lambert allowed a one-out double in the fifth, bringing in Steven Okert in relief. Okert allowed a single and a walk, loading the bases. Andy Rutschman then grand-slammed Okert to break open the game 5-0.
Meanwhile, Bassitt, who came into the game with a 6.75 ERA, baffled the Stros, dealing a shutout for six innings, allowing four singles with seven strikeouts. (he had only 10 ks for the season before today.) However, three two-out singles in the seventh, the run-scorer by Christian Vazquez, gave the Astros their first run, and chased Bssitt from the game.
Jason Alexander, just recalled to the Astros roster for the doubleheader, got two quick outs in the seventh. But a single and three walks plated another Orioles run, and then Jackson (him again) smacked the Orioles’ second grand slam, giving the Os a 10-1 lead.
Two hits and two Orioles errors in the eighth gave the Astros two more runs. (one error was later ruled an RBI hit for Brice Mathews.)
Can Lance McCuller avoid the sweep? Stay tuned for game two.
