Nick Tropeano (1-1, 2.70) vs Derek Holland (1-0, 0.99)
At least it was a nice night for Rangers rookie Guilder Rodriguez in front of his family in the stands, and we're not such trolls that we can't appreciate that. Even if it is the Rangers. But it would have been nice to beat the Rangers anyway. After a 3-run triple by Roughned Odor in the 3rd, Houston came back to tie with one the 5th and two in the 6th. But Rodriguez, who had earlier in the game notched his first Major League hit, got his first Major League RBI in the 7th, which was the margin that Texas needed to walk away with a 4-3 win. With 5 games left in 2014, the Astros sit at 69-88.
On the Mound:
*Starting their final turn through the 6-man rotation, Nick Tropeano got his third and presumably final start of the 2014 season. He managed more than 5 innings this time, and honestly pitched admirably well, but that 2-out, 3-run triple after an 0-2 count on Odor in the 3rd was a critical, painful blow. He was still on the mound in the 7th inning, but then a lack of control came back to bite him, as a HBP and a wild pitch contributed to Texas' 4th run. So Tropeano likely finishes his first taste of MLB action 1-2 with a 3.78 ERA, after tonight's 6.2 IP / 5 H / 4 R / 4 ER / 2 BB / 3 K line.
*After NiTro allowed the Rodriguez RBI single, Kevin Chapman came in and struck out Leonys Martin to end the 7th, then he allowed an Adam Rosales single and got Odor to fly out starting the 8th.
*Jorge De Leon was brought on to face righty Adrian Beltre, and got him to fly out to Jake Marisnick in right on a nice running catch. Then Jake Smolinski flied out to center to bring up Houston's final turn at bat.
At the Plate:
*Not as much offense for the Astros tonight, but Robbie Grossman still had a nice night, going 2x3 with a sac bunt and a run scored.
*Jose Altuve, the bum, only had one hit tonight - a RBI double to finish 1x4 with a K.
*Jonathan Villar also had a double and finished 1x4 with a run scored.
*Max Stassi also also had a double, and also also went 1x4.
*Chris Carter struck out in his only recorded AB, but also walked twice and had a sac fly RBI.
*Matt Dominguez was 1x4 with a RBI groundout.
*And Dexter Fowler finished 1x4 with Houston's other hit.
Turning Point:
Houston tied the score 3-all on Altuve's and Carter's RBIs in the 6th, where the score stayed until the bottom of the 7th. Nick Tropeano and Jake Smolinski dueled to a full count leading off, then Tropeano finally hit him with his 7th pitch. NiTro got Ryan Rua to strike out for the first out, but then a wild pitch with Luis Sardinas at the plate let Smolinski move up to 2nd. Sardinas flew out for the second out, but the decision was made to intentionally walk Robinson Chirinos, bringing up rookie Guilder Rodriguez. On Tropeano's second pitch of the AB and 101st pitch of the night, Rodriguez lined off of a leaping Jonathan Villar's glove for a single that brought home Smolinski with the go-ahead run.
Man of the Match:
Robbie Grossman.
Goat of the Game:
Alex Presley. Hot no longer after going 0x4 as the DH.
