Oh, how we missed thee, Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez.
Since August, the Astros have been one of baseball’s worst-hitting teams. That, in large part, is due to the disappearance of the #1 and #2 hitters in the lineup, Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez. Although four runs is not exactly a breakout for the struggling offense, tonight these two not only accounted for all the Astros’ runs, but all the hits too. (Four)
For the first three innings of this game, this was a pitcher’s duel. Between Astros’ Hunter Brown and Royals’ Michael Wacha, there were only two hits, both by Pena. He was two-for-two to start the game.
Two home runs for two at-bats, that is.
Eventually, the Royals would touch Brown, scoring a run in the fourth on a Carter Jensen bloop double.
But mostly Brown left the Royals dazed and confused. Despite only throwing 51 strikes out of 91 pitches, in five innings Brown recorded 10 Ks, allowing two hits and three walks.
The price of truck fuel may be at record highs, but The Diesel is still bringing the gas.
Brown left the game with a 4-1 lead, thanks to this blast by Yordan Alvarez, his 39th.
Welcome back, Yordan.
Bennett Sousa came in to relieve Brown in the sixth and immediately surrendered a homer to Vinnie Pasquantino, who struck out twice earlier to Brown.
But AJ Blubaugh, Bryan Abreu, and Josh Hader held the fort, allowing no runs and only one hit between them. It was Hader’s 26th save without a blown save all year.
Trivia question: Did Mariano Rivera ever have a season without a blown save?
Answer: NO.
The Astros broke a three-game losing streak with the win tonight and retain at least a one-run lead over the Texas Rangers in the AL West. Red-hot Cristrian Javier goes to the mound tomorrow against these same Royals hoping to maintain or expand the Stros’ lead in the AL West.
Feature photo from @astros on X, Source Link.
