If Las Vegas put betting odds on whether or not Tatsuya Imai would suck on any given night, the odds would probably be about 2-1 that he would suck. Tonight he beat the odds.
In fourteen starts, Imai has had five quality starts and a just-missed. The rest of his starts were disasters. Tonight, Imai, plus hustle from Yordan Alvarez and a timely homer from Isaac Paredes, gave the Astros a chance to sweep the Marlins in tomorrow’s series finale.
The Astros struck like lightning to start the game. Jeremy Pena led off against Tyler Phillips with a shot off the railing in deep left-center field, ruled a home run after official review.
They added a run in the second inning thanks to a Lucas Spence RBI double, his first career RBI and extra-base hit. However, the Astros stranded runners on second and third with one out and Yordan Alvarez standing on deck.
The Mariners cut the Astros’ lead down to one in the fifth inning. In three of the previous four innings, Astros starter Tatsuya Imai got the first two batters but allowed two-out baserunners. In the fifth, Imai surrendered a two-out walk, but this time an RBI double by Kyle Stowers spoiled Imai’s shutout.
The Astros added three runs in the fifth because their Triple Crown slugger impersonated Charlie Hustle. (With a little help from a home run) With two outs, two strikes, and a runner on first, Alvarez swung weakly on a bad pitch. However, the ball escaped the catcher. After a brief delay, Alvarez put his big body in high gear and lumbered towards first, beating the catcher’s throw by inches.
Three-hitter behind Alvarez, Isaac Paredes, did his job. The first pitch from reliever Tyler Zuber hit the Halliburton sign to make the lead 5-1.
Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde, AKA Tatsuya Imai, was professorial on the mound tonight. Coming into the game with a +6 ERA, he gave that rare sparkling performance that keeps us all just a little hopeful that his huge free agent salary isn’t a colossal mistake. He completed six innings, allowing one run on four hits, three walks, and eight Ks.
His replacement, A. J. Blubaugh, was determined to show that Imai was indeed pitching to real major leaguers. A walk and homer by Joe Mack brought the Marlins to within two runs, 5-3. A double and a wild pitch put a Marlins runner on third with two outs, but Blubaugh escaped with a strikeout, his third of the inning.
Talk about the era of true outcomes. Blubaugh allowed a walk, a homer, and three Ks. The only ball in play after two runs was the double by Heriberto Hernandez.
After an IL stint that began May 4, Bennet Sousa returned to the mound in the eighth inning with a perfect inning, including a third-out K.
Despite a leadoff double, Josh Hader notched his 11th save, preserving the Astros’ 5-3 victory.
Yordan was 2-4 tonight with two singles, raising his league-leading BA to .326, but lowering his league-leading OPS to 1.081.
Is Imai ready to fulfill expectations in the second half of the season? If so, and with the return of Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski, and hopefully the return to form of Hunter Brown, maybe the Astros aren’t finished after all.
The Astros come to Daikin with their brooms tomorrow, 7:10 CT.
Saw a triple play tonight. And we won the game as well.
We have seen the problem with the Astros this week. If we don’t have stellar pitching and Yordan crushing the ball, we can’t win.