Did you know today’s Astros victory over the White Sox was the 13th game in franchise history in which its pitching staff walked at least ten batters that didn’t go into extra innings? First time since August 6, 2023, against the Yankees when they walked 12.
Needless to say, Peter Lambert and company had some issues with walks on Monday. It has become increasingly clear that Lambert is running on fumes as of late, with him being responsible for five of those ten walks. Enyel De Los Santos issued three in only one inning. Bennett Sousa and Bryan Abreu each issued one walk. Thankfully, the White Sox had issues with converting those free baserunners into runs, largely failing to convert on two bases loaded opportunities. The only run that scored in that process was an RBI walk from Munetaka Murakami in the fourth inning. Only five hits on the day for the White Sox, which was a small miracle by itself. A better day hitting the ball likely flips the results in Chicago’s favor.
Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. I mean, it helps to be both, but the Astros were bailed out a couple of different times. Sousa, for example, got away with a slider that probably should’ve been crushed in one of those two bases-loaded situations.
The difference in this game was the Astros’ hitters managing to convert with runners on base. Yordan Alvarez drove in the first run in the third courtesy of an RBI groundout that was also a double play in the third inning. Nelson Velázquez drove in two with a massive shot to the Crawford Boxes in the fourth.
Cam Smith would also double in two runs in the fifth. And, just like that, the Astros had a 6-2 lead through five innings. For how this pitching staff was performing, even six runs didn’t feel entirely safe.
But it was enough. Again, the pitching staff tiptoed around those walks and gave us some heartburn in the process. A crucial win regardless, as the Rangers also won, keeping the AL West lead to just two games. But the Mariners lost, so they are now six games behind the Astros. Well, practically five games when you count the tiebreaker in Seattle’s favor, but Houston still gained a game. Not a bad way to start the work week.
Feature photo from Astros on X
I’m hoping Cam has slipped back into the 1 1/2-2 weeks of elite baseball phase again. He is very good for a short periods of time, and then falls back to untenable. Hopefully the streaks stay longer and longer.