The Launch Angle

It looked like yet another day of clutch ineptitude for the Houston nine, but the pitching kept the game close, and newly minted rookie Raynel Delgado finally came through to give the Astros the late lead, tying the series with the Tigers at one each.

It was a delicious pitching matchup. Former not-so-beloved but World Series champion Framber Valdez was facing his former team for the first time. Meanwhile, the Astros’ current ace, Hunter Brown, was making his return from the 60-Day IL. Neither pitcher disappointed.

The Tigers got to Brown early, who struggled a bit with command. In the second inning, a Spencer Torkelson walk resulted in a run on a Hao-Yu single off the glove of shortstop Jeremy Pena.

Meanwhile, in the early going, the Astros’ offense could not capitalize on opportunities. In the first inning, Jose Altuve stranded Christian Walker at third, and in the third inning, Jeremy Pena led off with a double, advanced to third on a Yordan Alvarez single, and failed to score, the third out on an Altuve groundout following two strikeouts.

Tigers pitcher Valdez had a familiar mini-meltdown in the fifth inning. After Delgado led off with an infield single and advanced to third on two groundouts, Valdez walked Christian Walker and then wild-pitched Isaac Paredes, scoring Delgado. Paredes proceeded to walk, but with runners on first and second, Altuve again stranded runners in scoring position by striking out.

After his early command issues, Hunter Brown was back to Hunter Brown form. He completed 5.2 innings. allowing one run, three hits, three walks, with seven Ks on 92 pitches.

In the sixth inning, the Astros again led off with a single, this time by Pena, advanced the runner to third, and again stranded him, this time on a Paredes strikeout to Tiger reliever Keider Montero.

Steven Okert held the Tigers in the sixth and seventh innings, but Bryan King surrendered a sacrifice fly to Dillon Dingler in the eighth inning, scoring Hao-Yu, who doubled to lead off the inning.

But in their eighth, the Astros finally got a hit with runners in scoring position. It was freshly minted, 26-year-old rookie Delgado, whose two-run single with bases loaded gave the Astros a 3-2 lead. Pena scored the Astros’ fourth run on an RBI fielder’s choice.

Josh Hader came in the ninth to save the lead, and after a leadoff walk, sent down the next three batters to secure the 4-2 win.

It was a day that will not be recalled in Cooperstown on the occasion of Jose Altuve’s induction to the Hall of Fame. He was 0-4 with two K’s, and he stranded four baserunners.

Baseball happens. Believe it or not, since his return from IL before today, his wRC+ is 110. It doesn’t seem like it. On the other hand, Delgado was 2-4 with two RBI, including the game-winner, and in his short MLB career, is hitting .429. Is this the next generation of HOF Astros?

Just kidding.

Feature photo on @astros on X