Brad Peacock (0-1, 4.15) vs Blake Beavan (0-0, 9.00)
It's fun when the Astros win. The Astros should win more often. For the second straight night, Houston broke out their big bats, and while there weren't 16 runs this time, they still homered thrice more. It took until June last season for the Astros to win a road series, but they got that out of the way before the mid-point of April this time. Happy Houston final of 8-3, and the team moves out of the AL West cellar, improving to 3-6.
On the Mound:
*While Jed Lowrie was making the Astros look silly over the weekend and Chris Carter was flailing at air, that Oakland trade wasn't looking too good for Jeff Luhnow. But the beast of Carter has been awakened, and Brad Peacock looked pretty good himself last night. He wasn't dominant, and he gave up a pair of solo home runs, but he still did enough to earn himself, and his team, a win. Brad's line: 5 IP / 4 H / 3 R / 3 ER / 1 BB / 3 K.
*The second homer off of Peacock actually started the 6th, but Dallas Keuchel came on to relieve and earned his first career hold. Kid Keuchy did this: 2 IP / 0 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 2 BB / 1 K.
*The second homer off of Peacock actually started the 6th, but Dallas Keuchel came on to relieve and earned his first career hold. Kid Keuchy did this: 2 IP / 0 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 2 BB / 1 K.
*Rhiner Cruz gave up a hit and a walk, and Jose Veras gave up a hit and had a K, but each pitched a scoreless inning in relief to seal Houston's second straight win.
At the Plate:
*BEAST MODE: ACTIVATE. Chris Carter led Houston's offense again tonight, bashing another HR and finishing the night 3 for 5 with 2 R, 2 RBI, and a K.
*Carlos Pena didn't go deep, but he was right behind Carter with a pair of doubles, ending up 3 for 5 himself with 2 R, a RBI, and 2 K.
*Rick Ankiel is Mr. Two True Outcomes - either he's going to miss the ball entirely, or he's going to hit it a long, long way. He struck out twice in four PA, but he also cracked his second jack of the season on a big flyball to CF, going 1 for 4 with 2 RBI.
*Marwin Gonzalez also homered for the second straight night (!), going 2 for 3 with a walk and a K to raise his season slash line to .444/.545/.833 (!!).
*Justin Maxwell's Silver Hammer now has a 7-game hitting streak, after going 2 for 5 with a K.
*J.D. Martinez went 1 for 3 with a double, a sac fly, and 2 RBI, and he's now hitting .316 since moving into the starting lineup for the last five games.
*Jose Altuve (1 for 5), Jason Castro (1 for 5, 2 R, 2 K), and Matt Dominguez (1 for 4) also got in on the attack. Every Astros starter notched at least one hit last night.
*Carlos Pena didn't go deep, but he was right behind Carter with a pair of doubles, ending up 3 for 5 himself with 2 R, a RBI, and 2 K.
*Rick Ankiel is Mr. Two True Outcomes - either he's going to miss the ball entirely, or he's going to hit it a long, long way. He struck out twice in four PA, but he also cracked his second jack of the season on a big flyball to CF, going 1 for 4 with 2 RBI.
*Marwin Gonzalez also homered for the second straight night (!), going 2 for 3 with a walk and a K to raise his season slash line to .444/.545/.833 (!!).
*Justin Maxwell's Silver Hammer now has a 7-game hitting streak, after going 2 for 5 with a K.
*J.D. Martinez went 1 for 3 with a double, a sac fly, and 2 RBI, and he's now hitting .316 since moving into the starting lineup for the last five games.
*Jose Altuve (1 for 5), Jason Castro (1 for 5, 2 R, 2 K), and Matt Dominguez (1 for 4) also got in on the attack. Every Astros starter notched at least one hit last night.
Turning Point:
Already up 3-0 after two, Jason Castro led off the 3rd reaching on an error by Seattle CF Franklin Gutierrez. Castro moved to third on a Chris Carter fly out, then the Astros made it 5-0 on a Carlos Pena single and a J.D. Martinez double. That made sure the Mariners were officially done.
Man of the Match:
Chris Carter! That .857 OPS after the last two games looks SO MUCH better than the .340 it was before.
Goat of the Game:
No goat last night. Let's just enjoy back-to-back Astros wins.
