Kevin Correia (11-9, 4.09) vs Dallas Keuchel (2-7, 4.97)
It's college football season. I live in Arkansas, so that means that virtually everyone around me is obsessed with the Razorbacks. If you pay attention to college football at all (I don't), then you know the Hogs, who started the season ranked #10, aren't doing very well this year. But if they were paying attention (they're not), Arkansas fans could take some solace in the performance of Diamond Hogs alum Dallas Keuchel tonight. Kid Keuchy and the Astros triumph 4-1 over the Pirates, moving back to .500 since September 1 (10-10), and to 50-102 overall.
*Keuchel was on point all night, delivering his second-best start of the season and earning his second straight win. The only run he allowed was on a solo HR to Gaby Sanchez in the 2nd, so his winning line was this: 7 IP / 4 H / 1 R / 1 ER / 1 BB / 5 K. The bullpen was equally impressive tonight, with Hector Ambriz contributing a scoreless 8th, and Wilton Lopez adding a perfect 9th for his seventh save.
Observations:
*Jason Castro wielded the big stick for Houston tonight, launching a three-run homer off Carlos Kevin Correia in the 7th that was the deciding blow. He finished 2 for 3 with a K.
*Brett Wallace got the Astros on the board early with a RBI single in the 1st. He ended up 1 for 4 with a K.
*Scott Moore doubled in advance of Wallace and scored the run, finishing 1 for 3 with 2 K.
*Matt Dominguez (1 for 4, K) and Tyler Greene (1 for 1, SB) also scored on Castro's big blow, though neither actually got their hits in the 7th. Dominguez reached on an error and Greene pinch-ran for Jed Lowrie...
*...after Lowrie singled, going 1 for 3 with a K.
Turning Point:
Houston scored in the 1st and Pittsburgh scored in the 2nd, and that's how the game stayed until the bottom of the 7th. Jed Lowrie led off the inning with a single, followed by a textbook double-play ball from Matt Dominguez to the slick fielding Clint Barmes. But Barmes booted it, so everyone was safe, putting two on with no out for Jason Castro. Castro the Astro made ex-Astro Barmes pay for his mistake, as he blasted Carlos Kevin Correia's 2-1 pitch into the right field well for a 4-1 Houston lead. That chased Correia from the game and tagged him with the loss.
Man of the Match:
Dallas Keuchel. Mad props to Jason Castro as well, but Kid Keuchy was brilliant tonight.
With tonight's win, the Astros in September tied their win total from all of June (10), beat their win total from April (9), and trail only their 13 wins in May for their best month all season. With 7 games left in the month and 10 in the season, that's a very reachable goal.
