The Astros Road trip began with a little extra flavor for all, going 10 innings from Anaheim and in the process, producing one of the bigger comebacks of the year. From Jose Altuve’s daring baserunning to Brice Matthews one hop rocket throw to home plate, negating a slide by Mike Trout, it was late night heroics all around. Houston would tie it in the 9th and ultimately win it in the 10th. Astros 5. Angels 4.
Spencer Arrighetti entered Monday Night having never defeated the Angels during his career and although he didn’t get the win, the Astros picked up their 31st victory. The win ultimately went to Josh Hader in relief. Arrighetti cruised with a six-pitch opening frame, but then the wheels began to fall off in the second inning thanks to a series of miscues, rekindling flashbacks of Arrighetti’s hard luck fourth inning last week versus Pittsburgh.
Jo Adell would lead off things in the second inning, reaching first base after being hit by an errant pitch. He scored the game’s first run courtesy of ex-Astro Trey Mancini, who registered an RBI single in his first big league game in three years. In total, nine different batters would come to the plate with a combination of walks and hits, even Logan O’Hoppe getting in on the action with a double that drove in a pair. Final damage was thirty-six pitches thrown and three runs on the board. It’s now six times over his last ten starts that Arrighetti has walked at least four batters.
Houston would get on the board in the top of the fourth after Yordan Alvarez reached on an error by Mike Trout and scored thanks to Christian Walker’s RBI Double. Doubles would be the theme of the night for Houston, as their first six hits would all be two baggers. Lamont Wade Jr., in just his fourth game with the club, would register an RBI double, scoring Isaac Paredes in the 6th inning. Wade would exit moments later with tightness to his right hamstring. Brice Matthews would come in as a pinch runner and score when Cam Smith doubled him home, tying things at three.
De Los Santos would come on in relief and give up a solo shot to Zach Neto in the 7th. For Neto, it would be his 13th home run of the year. However, Christian Walker would secure the Astros first single of the night, in a clutch moment in the top of the 9th, with a hit to center, scoring Jeremy Pena, tying things at 4-4. In the 10th inning, on a fielding error by Logan O’Hoppe, Jose Altuve would score the winning run. Bryan Abreu would come in and close the door earning his 4th save.
Odds and Ends.
Kai-Wei Teng will take the hill for the Astros in game two as they look to even the series. He’ll be opposed by Walbert Urena who has an identical 3-4 record as Teng for the season.
Christian Walker has now registered a hit in six of his last seven games. Collin Price notched his first official career hit with a double in the top of the fifth inning.
In what will undoubtedly be a theme this summer, Yordan Alvarez received yet another intentional walk. He leads all of MLB with nine.
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