Well the Angels beat the piss out of the Rangers this weekend, so the Astros now have a 3.0-game lead on the Angels. Let's get to the Hot Links.
*Sunday's loss to the Red Sox is on the bullpen (more on that later today). Tony Sipp:
The couple of hits that I do give up, seem like they've been home runs. It's frustrating. It was one of those things. Hopefully it doesn't last a long time. Just the way things are going right now. But I feel like I was throwing the ball well. Got ahead of both Big Papi and Hanley. Just couldn't put 'em away.
*Watch Jake Marisnick make a spectacular play against the wall at Fenway
*Jose Altuve will be the AL's starting second baseman for next week's All-Star Game. He'll be the first Astro to start the All-Star Game since Lance Berkman in 2008, and if Dallas Keuchel gets the start next Tuesday, he and Altuve will be the first Astros teammates to start an All-Star Game since Kent and Berkman did it in 2004.
*Scott Feldman's rehab start for Corpus went as follows: 3IP, 4H/3R (2ER), 3K:3BB.
*Chad Qualls will go to Cleveland with the Astros early this week and head to Corpus for a rehab appearance later in the week.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
