The Launch Angle

I’ll be honest: I didn’t have much hope left for the Astros after that three-game sweep at the hands wings of the Orioles right after the All-Star break. Fresh off a first-half full of disappointment, it felt natural that the second-half would start the same way. The roster hadn’t changed. But the schedule allowed Houston an opportunity to possibly make up some ground in the AL, whether in the division or the Wild Card. If there was a time to make a serious run at remaining in the postseason conversation, it was now.

Lo and behold, a 10-1 stretch in their last 11 games does wonders.

Saturday’s game won’t be remembered as being a well-pitched game. Both starters, Ronel Blanco and Jacob deGrom, didn’t have their best stuff. Not by a long shot. deGrom only lasted 3.1 innings, allowing five runs in the process. Blanco lasted 4.2 innings and allowed three runs. If you’re a fan of good pitching, the two starters certainly didn’t provide much of it. The bullpens, though, fared better. More about that later.

The Astros struck first in this game, with LaMonte Wade Jr.’s RBI single in the second inning scoring the first run of the game.

Wyatt Langford would subsequently tie it up at one each with his solo home run in the third. Thankfully, Taylor Trammell’s two-out RBI single in the bottom half of the third drove in two to break the tie and make it a 3-1 Houston lead.

The fourth inning was when the game was essentially decided. The Rangers would drive in two runs to tie it all up again. Blanco wasn’t exactly hit hard, but a walk along with a couple of singles plus a sacrifice bunt can do that. The Astros, however, would chase deGrom out of the game in the bottom half, driving in two runs themselves to make it a 5-3 lead. Christian Walker’s RBI single and a wild pitch to score Yordan Alvarez got it done. Also, my heart skipped a beat or two when I saw Alvarez slide into home plate. Flashbacks to last season, and now my ankle hurts.

Other than Enyel De Los Santos allowing a solo home run to Elias Díaz in the sixth inning to make it a 5-4 lead, the Astros’ bullpen didn’t have too many problems, other than Bennett Sousa causing some heartburn with his two walks. But the rest of the bullpen held up well, allowing zero runs with Bryan Abreu apparently back in his usual eighth-inning role for the first time in months.

Overall, it was another win for the Astros, who now have a 1.5-game lead in the AL West. Considering how this season started, I can’t complain too much at the moment. While concerns persist about this roster, I’ll take some time and enjoy this recent resurgence. Perhaps I’ll check on what happened elsewhere in baseball…

So, yeah, this offseason isn’t going to be fun.

Feature photo from Astros on X