Offensive struggles lead to missed opportunity in series<\/a><\/p>\nArticle continues below this ad<\/p>\n
The Astros had failed to drive in their extra-innings runner in the top of the 10th. Ryan Zeferjahn struck out Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith before the Angels intentionally walked left-handed Joey Loperfido to set up a platoon matchup with Shay Whitcomb, who produced a check-swing ground out.<\/p>\n
Donovan Walton began the bottom of the 10th with a sacrifice bunt. Whitcomb, just moved to third base, retreated to the bag and the bunt died between him and Bryan Abreu. Three pitches later, Siri lined an 0-2 fastball from Abreu for the game-winning hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve really got to turn the page and put this series behind us,\u201d Astros manager Joe Espada said. \u201cOff day tomorrow and we have a stretch of six games. We\u2019ve got to start winning some series. It\u2019s important for us to start winning some series.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the ninth, a wild play had briefly put the go-ahead run on the board for the\u00a0Astros\u00a0\u2014 then erased it.<\/p>\n
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Yordan Alvarez struck a two-out single off Sam Bachman. Christian Walker pulled a double into the left-field corner. Alvarez was held up by third-base coach Tony Perezchica\u00a0\u2014 but Angels shortstop Zach Neto winged a throw home anyway that was off-line. As it went to the backstop, Alvarez darted for the plate.<\/p>\n
Bachman, backing up the play, retrieved the ball \u2013 which had hit Isaac Paredes on the leg near the on-deck circle \u2013 and threw to the plate. Alvarez was ruled safe on a feet-first slide. The Angels challenged, however, and got the call overturned, ending the half-inning with the score still tied.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d Espada said of whether he liked Alvarez trying to score. \u201cAggressive play. We needed to try to score that run there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Said Walker: \u201cJust a crazy play. You try to make those count. But it worked out in their favor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Josh Hader worked the bottom of the ninth, retiring all three hitters he faced, to send the teams to extra innings for the second time in three nights.<\/p>\n
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Solo home runs comprised both teams\u2019 offense to that point. Astros starter Peter Lambert allowed two while working into the seventh inning of an effective outing. Mike Trout, his second batter of the game, hit one. Angels catcher Logan O\u2019Hoppe accounted for the other in the fifth inning.<\/p>\n
That built a 2-0 lead for Reid Detmers, the Angels left-hander whose seven innings were spotless except for one swing. Whitcomb struck a leadoff home run in the sixth. Detmers did not allow another Astro to reach base. With Detmers at 89 pitches after seven innings, the Angels turned to their bullpen.<\/p>\n
Smith greeted Chase Silseth by hitting a hanging splitter over the wall in left-center field, tying the game with his first home run since May 29.<\/p>\n
Houston
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\nBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nAvg.<\/p>\n
Totals
\n33
\n2
\n4
\n2
\n1
\n13<\/p>\n
Altuve 2b
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n.232<\/p>\n
Alvarez dh
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.316<\/p>\n
Walker 1b
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.249<\/p>\n
1-Pe\u00f1a pr-ss
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.281<\/p>\n
Paredes 3b-1b
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n.236<\/p>\n
Smith rf
\n4
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n2
\n.220<\/p>\n
Meyers cf
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.212<\/p>\n
a-Loperfido ph-lf
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n.258<\/p>\n
Whitcomb ss-3b
\n4
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n.130<\/p>\n
Matthews lf-cf
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.204<\/p>\n
V\u00e1zquez c
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.234<\/p>\n
b-Trammell ph
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.275<\/p>\n
Price c
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.200<\/p>\n
Los Angeles
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\nBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nAvg.<\/p>\n
Totals
\n32
\n3
\n7
\n3
\n2
\n7<\/p>\n
Neto ss
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n.229<\/p>\n
Trout dh
\n3
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n.224<\/p>\n
Meckler lf
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n.316<\/p>\n
Adell rf
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n.240<\/p>\n
Peraza 2b
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.267<\/p>\n
Madrigal 3b
\n4
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.333<\/p>\n
Mancini 1b
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.333<\/p>\n
c-Walton ph
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n.255<\/p>\n
Siri cf
\n3
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n.325<\/p>\n
O’Hoppe c
\n2
\n1
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n.212<\/p>\n
Houston
\n000
\n001
\n010<\/p>\n
4
\n0<\/p>\n
Los Angeles
\n100
\n010
\n000<\/p>\n
7
\n0<\/p>\n
No outs when winning run scored.<\/p>\n
a-flied out for Meyers in the 8th. b-struck out for V\u00e1zquez in the 9th. c-singled for Mancini in the 10th.<\/p>\n
1-ran for Walker in the 10th.<\/p>\n
E_Neto (12). LOB_Houston 3, Los Angeles 6. 2B_Walker (13). HR_Whitcomb (2), off Detmers; Smith (7), off Silseth; Trout (15), off Lambert; O’Hoppe (3), off Lambert. RBIs_Whitcomb (5), Smith (26), Trout (32), O’Hoppe (16), Siri (10). SB_Peraza 2 (9), Trout (6), Walton (1). S_O’Hoppe.<\/p>\n
Runners left in scoring position_Houston 1 (Whitcomb); Los Angeles 2 (Meckler 2). RISP_Houston 0 for 3; Los Angeles 2 for 6.<\/p>\n
Runners moved up_Neto. LIDP_Mancini.<\/p>\n
DP_Houston 1 (Walker, Paredes, Walker).<\/p>\n
IP<\/p>\n
H
\nR
\nER
\nBB
\nSO
\nNP
\nERA<\/p>\n
6<\/p>\n
5
\n2
\n2
\n0
\n6
\n91
\n3.47<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n0
\n13
\n3.07<\/p>\n
0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n2.51<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n11
\n0.00<\/p>\n
0<\/p>\n
2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n7
\n6.85<\/p>\n
IP<\/p>\n
H
\nR
\nER
\nBB
\nSO
\nNP
\nERA<\/p>\n
7<\/p>\n
1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n9
\n89
\n4.00<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n1
\n15
\n1.90<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n9
\n1.99<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n2
\n21
\n5.12<\/p>\n
Inherited runners-scored_De Los Santos 1-0, King 2-0. IBB_off De Los Santos (Trout), off Zeferjahn (Loperfido). WP_Zeferjahn.<\/p>\n
ABS Challenge_Mancini (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Neto (Strike-Overturned to Ball); De Los Santos (Ball-Confirmed).<\/p>\n
Pitch timer violations_De Los Santos (pitcher); Zeferjahn (pitcher).<\/p>\n
Umpires_Home, Ron Kulpa; First, Manny Gonzalez; Second, Tom Hanahan; Third, Dillon Wilson.<\/p>\n
T_2:31. A_25,179 (45,517).<\/p>\n
Lambert sharp, exits abruptly<\/p>\n
Lambert\u2019s outings have oscillated between labors and some of Houston\u2019s most effective. In his previous start, Lambert held the A\u2019s to one run but walked four and threw 94 pitches in 5 \u2153 innings. Lambert walked none in 6 \u2153 innings against the Angels, filling the zone, working efficiently and mostly limiting sharp contact. Only two swings did damage against him.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think overall the command was pretty good,\u201d Lambert said. \u201cWe were able to execute pretty well, got ahead of a lot of hitters. Got burned on two pitches but other than that it was pretty solid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trout lined a 94 mph fastball 404 feet to left-center field in the first inning. It was the first homer since May 30 for Trout, who had snapped an 0-for-22 skid a night earlier. Lambert retired 13 of his next 15 batters, the exceptions two singles. One of those was a fly ball to shallow right field that fell between three Astros defenders. Lambert negated the mistake.<\/p>\n
With two outs in the fifth, Lambert left a 2-2 fastball up in the zone to O\u2019Hoppe, who drove it into the Angels bullpen. In his first nine starts, Lambert had allowed three home runs in 50 \u2154 innings. His rate of 0.53 home runs-per-fly balls allowed was seventh-lowest among American League pitchers with at least 50 innings entering Wednesday. The Angels became the first team to hit two against him in a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one to O\u2019Hoppe was \u2026 just pretty poorly executed,\u201d Lambert said. \u201cThe one to Trout, we were trying to go top-rail, didn\u2019t exactly get there. It\u2019s the first inning of the game. I wasn\u2019t exactly, like, mad at that pitch. It\u2019s not where I\u2019m trying to go, but he put a pretty good swing on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
A seeing-eye single began Lambert\u2019s seventh inning. Oswald Peraza stole second and third base. Nick Madrigal hit a sharp comebacker that appeared to hit Lambert on the pitching hand\/wrist area as he fielded it. Lambert shook his hand once angrily before throwing Madrigal out. Espada and a team trainer emerged to check on him.<\/p>\n
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Lambert threw one practice pitch. Espada then removed him. Houston did have two relievers already warming, so it was not immediately clear if Lambert\u2019s exit was injury-related. Enyel De Los Santos entered and induced a lineout from Trey Mancini to the first baseman Walker, who snapped a throw across the diamond and doubled Peraza off third base.<\/p>\n
Postgame, Lambert said his hand was \u201ca little sore right now, but I think it\u2019s fine.\u201d Lambert said he did not expect to require imaging.<\/p>\n
\u201cBall got him pretty good, but one heck of a job he did,\u201d Espada said. \u201cReally liked the tempo, how he worked, kept the defense engaged. Just a really good outing by Peter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Offense vs. Detmers<\/p>\n
Detmers retired his first 15 batters in order. Seven struck out. Eight put balls in play that averaged a 92.5 mph exit velocity, but none fell for hits. Detmers led with his fastball, finished four of the strikeouts with sliders and dropped in the occasional slow curveball. One Astro hit a ball out of the infield against him in Detmers\u2019 first time through the order.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s a polished pitcher,\u201d Smith said. \u201cHe had his stuff today and he threw it pretty well.\u201d<\/p>\n
A budding bid for perfection ended in the sixth. Whitcomb, starting at shortstop in place of Jeremy Pe\u00f1a, strode to the plate 2-for-20 in the majors this season. He had struck out in his first at-bat seeing only one pitch in the strike zone. Detmers threw him a 94 mph four-seamer up in the zone. Whitcomb sent it 408 feet over the wall in left-center.<\/p>\n
It was the lone blemish on a brilliant night for Detmers. He departed after seven innings having allowed one hit, walked none and struck out nine, continuing a strong run of starts. Detmers allowed eight runs against the A\u2019s at home on May 19. In four outings since, he has a 1.73 ERA with 36 strikeouts across 26 innings.<\/p>\n
Detmers needed 89 pitches to navigate seven innings. Whitcomb hit just the seventh home run Detmers has allowed in 81 innings this season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he did a nice job using his breaking ball just to kind of get us off the fastball,\u201d Espada said. \u201cAnd he kept us off-balance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pe\u00f1a rests<\/p>\n
Pe\u00f1a was out of the lineup for a scheduled rest day ahead of the Astros\u2019 team off day Thursday.\u00a0Pe\u00f1a had started Houston\u2019s previous 10 games and 20 of 21 since returning from a hamstring injury. He did end up entering as a pinch runner in the 10th inning.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the whole idea behind it, trying to get him off his feet two full days before we head to (Kansas City),\u201d manager Joe Espada said pregame. That was partially accomplished, as Pe\u00f1a entered the game Wednesday as a pinch-runner in the top of the 10th\u00a0inning.<\/p>\n
Whitcomb drew his first major-league start at shortstop. He had also played the last two innings of Tuesday\u2019s loss at shortstop in his first appearance there in the majors. Three other Astros who have played shortstop this season\u00a0\u2014 Nick Allen, Braden Shewmake and Carlos Correa \u2014 are on the IL.<\/p>\n
Hunter Brown update<\/p>\n
Astros ace Hunter Brown made what should be his final rehab start Wednesday in his return from a right shoulder strain, throwing 78 pitches over five innings at Triple-A Sugar Land.<\/p>\n
Brown allowed three hits, walked two batters and struck out seven in his outing. He threw 49 of 79 total pitches for strikes and touched 98.6 mph with his four-seam fastball.<\/p>\n
Espada affirmed pregame Wednesday that Brown is expected to make his next start in the majors. That would occur during the Astros\u2019 series against the Tigers next week at Daikin Park.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Astros’ Yordan Alvarez is tagged out by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe to end the top of the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":356056,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164],"class_list":["post-356055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=356055"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/356055\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356056"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=356055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=356055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=356055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}