Sunday Morning Hot Links

And with one swing of Evan Gattis' barn-sized bat, was the season saved? The Astros came back against the A's - more on that in a minute. But there's a wrinkle: the Astros are 2.5 back of the Rangers for the AL West, four back of the Yankees for the 1st Wild Card spot. The Angels won both sides of a double-header at Minnesota, so the Astros are 1.5 up on the Angels and 2.5 up on the Twins.

A better representation:
Astros: -
Angels: 1.5 GB
Twins: 2.5 GB

There are 13 games left in the season. The Twins and Angels wrap up their series today, and then the Angels come to Houston for another one of those Critical Series before the Rangers come in this weekend for another Critical Series.

The Astros scored 10+ runs for the first time since September 9...at Oakland.

Scott Kazmir isn't exactly making a case for a new contract, getting pulled after 3.2IP. In four September starts - you know, the month where you really need the Trade Deadline Guy to shine - Kazmir has thrown 21IP, 24H/11ER, 14K:8BB, 5HR. Opponents are hitting .279/.354/.500

The Astros had not won since Sunday, and were down 6-3 before crooked numbers and Evan Gattis' three-run homer gave up the Astros a 10-6 win over the A's. Kazmir has given up 10HR in his last 10 starts, impressive considering he gave up seven homers in 18 starts with Oakland this season. And while I'm thinking about it, the two homers he gave up at Oakland as an Astro on September 18 were two more than he gave up in Oakland all season.

But then Evan Gattis saved the day with a three-run go-ahead homer.

Hinch:
That's the biggest hit in the biggest moment. To be honest with you, you never expect home runs like that. But to go opposite field at the most critical at-bat of the game in that particular point, it woke everybody up. It gave us the lead and put a lot of belief that we remember how to win games. 

Hinch, on Matt Duffy's first hit, an RBI double that brought the Astros to within 6-5.
I'm happy for that kid. He's said five words while he's been up here, and I think that was the first smile I've seen as he's coming off the field getting pinch-run for. For him to contribute at that time as a pinch-hitter is not easy coming off the bench for the first time.

*Dayn Perry has videos and win probability charts from last night's game.

*Lady kisses Evan Gattis bobblehead, Evan Gattis hits three-run homer.

*Luke Gregerson saw the birth of his son on FaceTime from DFW airport.

*Here's a great story by Brian T. Smith about a guy who has listened to more than 3,000 Astros games.

*Down in the Best-Of-Five series 2-1, Fresno got a huge start from Asher Wojciechowski, who threw 6IP, 5H/1R (0ER), 7K:3BB, in a 2-1 win over Round Rock.