Scoring six runs against Cristopher Sánchez doesn’t happen often. Only the fourth time in his last 62 starts has the Philadelphia lefty allowed at least six earned runs in a start. The Phillies lost in the previous three instances. But, in 2026 fashion, the Astros found a way to lose.
Forgive me for saying this: I don’t think Hunter Brown is all the way back. Honestly, he may not be until next season. It has become increasingly clear in recent starts that the right-hander doesn’t have a great feel for his four-seam fastball. The infamous sinker, which propelled him to new heights in recent years, has gradually become his most used pitch. While he hasn’t shelved his four-seam, we’re seeing it less and less. And for good reason. Against the Phillies on Wednesday, the pitch only generated one whiff on 11 swings. His sinker, not exactly known for its swing-and-miss potential, had five whiffs on 14 swings.
Given an early 4-0 lead by the third inning, Brown had a golden opportunity to guide the Astros to another impressive win on the road against a good Phillies team. Alas, that lead was brief, with Brown being BABIP’d repeatedly.
Six singles allowed in the third inning, with the highest xBA allowed to Luis Arraez. To be clear, Brown isn’t blameless. Ace pitchers might experience some rotten batted ball misfortune from time to time but can find ways to get out of the jam. This is where not having his typical swing-and-miss stuff comes back to haunt him. It also doesn’t help that the Astros are among the bottom-ten infield defenses in baseball.
Cam Smith’s two-run shot would score two more runs in the fourth inning, but the Phillies would counter for one more in the fifth before the wheels would completely fall off in the sixth. Joe Espada would turn to Bryan King in the sixth and it obviously didn’t go well. Once King loaded the bases with no outs, AJ Blubaugh got the call to perform a Houdini. Spoiler alert: he didn’t.
An RBI walk and a Kyle Schwarber home run later, the Astros would suddenly find themselves trailing 11-6. Isaac Paredes would drive in a run in the seventh, but it didn’t matter. The game, more or less, was decided. Tatsuya Imai got mop-up duty, and that was pretty much the end of this game. At least the Rangers lost, keeping Houston’s AL West lead to two games.
Feature photo from Astros on X
Why does Joe think Bryan King can be effective any more?
Wait. Espada’s apologists will explain it to you any time now. They are the same who explained away Dusty’s bloopers for four years and credited Dusty with Click’s accomplishments.
BABIP’d repeatedly in the 3rd. inning? Let’s revisit that 3rd. inning.
1) Realmuto’s weak grounder finding a hole through the middle of the infield. BABIP!
2) Realmuto take off for second (Realmuto!) De la Cruz direct a weak grounder to the empty right side of the infield. Altuve is covering second. BABIP or Mattingly?
3) De la Cruz takes off. Turner weak grounder to the empty right side of the infield. BABIP or Mattingly?
Turner steals second (did Harper miss the sign?)
4) Harper single. Grounder to the right side of the infield (now he got the sign). BABIP. Bad throw home from Smith. Harper to second.
5) Arraez single to CF. Game tied.
Arraez takes off for second. Diaz gets Arraez stealing. Did Stott miss the sign?
BABIP? Yes. But, mostly Mattingly.
Honestly until we can get a catcher who can actually throw out base runners this is one of the best strategies to beat us. A new manager isn’t going to change that.
Hunter Brown isn’t Valdez, I wouldn’t considering loosing your cool while you get BABIP to death and eventually getting out of it, the same as Framber getting BABIP to death and serving up a meat ball or pegging your catcher. But without being able to use the 4S as an out pitch/get a head pitch, I do think the strategy needs to change.
With Correa potentially coming back the last week of the season, which will coincide with a need to shift the infield around. Putting ether Alvarez or Altuve in LF regardless of the park for Brown and at the moment allowing Allen to cover 2B might just keep one or two cheap shots in the infield and hopefully end in an out.
I am not sure I buy the frustration Brown had with Altuve. Brown has been emotional in these BABIP innings and teams are putting pressure on him when they can to capitalize. Maybe there was frustration with Altuve on covering 2B on the grounder that found the “hole” the inning before but history speaking I think he was more frustrated with his bad luck…
I didn’t see anything wrong with Altuve’s fielding. Altuve has to cover 2b when the runner tries to steal and a RHB is at the plate, maybe a LHB too.
Very obvious the Phillies have practiced making contact to the right side of the infield. It was like pitching to Dubon time and time again. Don’t K, show the bat.
The Astros had no response.
The Astros beat up an ace at home. Mattingly outsmarted Espada. We lost.