C.J. Wilson (6-4, 3.05) vs Collin McHugh (3-3, 2.80)
The #Springleton Era has begun in Houston, and it began with a bang. Or, technically it began with a strikeout. Then a fielding error. Then a bases-loaded walk for a RBI! Then another strikeout, then another fielding error. But then! Then! Then, Jonathan Singleton got his first big league hit - a bomb into the Astros bullpen - and Jon HOMERTON's dream debut was complete. Even better, the Astros won, and that in convincing fashion. A 5-run 3rd chased C.J. Wilson from the game, Collin McHugh held the Angels to two hits in five scoreless innings, and Houston comes away on #JonSingletonDay as 7-2 winners. The Astros improve to 25-34 overall.
On the Mound:
*On most nights, a performance like Collin McHugh's might be the story of the game (but I think he'll gladly take a back seat tonight given the circumstances). A high pitch count (97) kept Doctor McHugh from going as deep as he has in other outings, but his results were no less solid. Five baserunners and no runs in five innings pitched, good for a 5 IP / 2 H / 0 R / 0 ER / 2 BB / 4 K line, with one HBP.
*Darin Downs struck out Josh Hamilton in a perfect 6th.
*Josh Fields struck out two in a perfect 7th, and one more to start the 8th, before Collin Cowgill touched him for a solo shot - ending Fields' scoreless streak at 10 innings over 9 appearances since he returned from OKC on May 17. Fields got one more out to finish with 1.2 IP tonight.
*At long last, the Legend of Tony Sipp has also faded away, as Sipp allowed a solo HR to Josh Hamilton - the first run he's allowed in 9.2 IP and 10 appearances as an Astro. Sipp also faced Howie Kendrick, who reached on Singleton's second fielding error, so he officially faced two batters and retired neither tonight.
*Kyle Farnsworth got C.J. Cron to pop up for the somewhat elusive final out of the 8th.
*And a non-save situation, but Chad Qualls got the 9th for #JonSingletonDay anyway, retiring three straight after a leadoff single.
*Darin Downs struck out Josh Hamilton in a perfect 6th.
*Josh Fields struck out two in a perfect 7th, and one more to start the 8th, before Collin Cowgill touched him for a solo shot - ending Fields' scoreless streak at 10 innings over 9 appearances since he returned from OKC on May 17. Fields got one more out to finish with 1.2 IP tonight.
*At long last, the Legend of Tony Sipp has also faded away, as Sipp allowed a solo HR to Josh Hamilton - the first run he's allowed in 9.2 IP and 10 appearances as an Astro. Sipp also faced Howie Kendrick, who reached on Singleton's second fielding error, so he officially faced two batters and retired neither tonight.
*Kyle Farnsworth got C.J. Cron to pop up for the somewhat elusive final out of the 8th.
*And a non-save situation, but Chad Qualls got the 9th for #JonSingletonDay anyway, retiring three straight after a leadoff single.
At the Plate:
*JON HOMERTON!!! He would have been the story tonight no matter how the game went, but his dream-come-true day had a storybook ending. It went as detailed before: K in the 2nd, E3 in the top 3rd, first big league RBI on a bases-loaded BB in the bottom 3rd, K in the 5th, E3 in the top 8th. Then on a 3-1 fastball from Matt Shoemaker in the bottom of the 8th, Singleton did what Singleton does, and his first big league hit was a home run.
*cHRis Carter kept the party going and went back-to-back with Singleton in the 8th, knocking his 9th home run of the season. Carter finished 2x4 with 2 K.
*Jason Castro started the scoring in the Astros' 5-run 3rd with a 2-run single, ending up 1x4.
*Mike-Bob Grossman added his own 2-run single after Singleton's BB RBI, finishing his night 1x4 with a K.
*Dexter Fowler was back in the leadoff spot and reached base four times, going 2x3 with a double, two walks, and a run scored.
*Jose Altuve batted #2 and went 1x5 with a K.
*Matt Dominguez reached base three times, going 2x3 with a walk, a run scored, and a K.
*Every Astro starter reached base at least once, so that also included George Springer (0x3, R, 2 BB, 2 K) and Jonathan Villar (0x2, R, BB, HBP, K).
*cHRis Carter kept the party going and went back-to-back with Singleton in the 8th, knocking his 9th home run of the season. Carter finished 2x4 with 2 K.
*Jason Castro started the scoring in the Astros' 5-run 3rd with a 2-run single, ending up 1x4.
*Mike-Bob Grossman added his own 2-run single after Singleton's BB RBI, finishing his night 1x4 with a K.
*Dexter Fowler was back in the leadoff spot and reached base four times, going 2x3 with a double, two walks, and a run scored.
*Jose Altuve batted #2 and went 1x5 with a K.
*Matt Dominguez reached base three times, going 2x3 with a walk, a run scored, and a K.
*Every Astro starter reached base at least once, so that also included George Springer (0x3, R, 2 BB, 2 K) and Jonathan Villar (0x2, R, BB, HBP, K).
Turning Point:
The Astros had two runners reach in each of the first two innings, but they finally broke it open against C.J. Wilson in the 3rd. Jonathan Villar and Dexter Fowler started with back-to-back walks, then after Jose Altuve struck out, George Springer walked to load the bases. A Jason Castro single scored both Villar and Fowler, then a Matt Dominguez single re-loaded the bases for Jonathan Singleton, who took four straight balls from Wilson for his first MLB RBI. Wilson got Chris Carter to K for the second out, but Robbie Grossman's 2-run single made Carter the last out that Great Hair Wilson would get tonight.
Man of the Match:
JON HOMERTON. Because we love you.
Goat of the Game:
No goat on #JonSingletonDay. The future is upon us!
