*Astros pitching got lit up in the 8th in yesterday's 10-4 loss to the Rays. Michael Feliz allowed a single and a home run to make it a 6-3 game and then Tony Sipp allowed a three-run homer on his second pitch because that's what Tony Sipp does in 2016, apparently.
Hinch, on Sipp:
We're trying to work with his delivery. Today, they were saying his breaking ball wasn't breaking as much. His fastball leaks over the plate. Those are all bad signs for him.
*Alex Bregman made another couple of errors at third base by seemingly over-correcting from the two errors on Saturday night. Hinch:
You have one shot at third base to judge whether to come in or go back. Yesterday, [Bregman] went back and the ball took the second hop and it hurt him. Today, he tried to come in, and he couldn't quite reach it, and the ball gets under his glove. It's still a learning curve for him.
*Who won yesterday: North Cleburne (of course), Baltimore, Toronto, Kansas City
Who lost yesterday: Houston, New York, Boston, Detroit.
The Astros are 8.5 GB of Lower Wichita Falls and 3.0 GB of WC2. The Ramgers open a series at home against Seattle; Baltimore plays Toronto; the Yankees are at Kansas City.
*The New York Times says the playoff race isn't as chaotic as it seems.
*Will the potential lack of October baseball hurt Altuve's MVP chances?
*Joe Musgrove, who will start tonight against Oakland, is trying to be better at making adjustments in the middle of the game, rather than battling through it and waiting to adjust before the next game starts.
*Yulieski Gurriel will get a start in the field this week.
*Colby Rasmus may not need a rehab start and, depending on how he runs and swings, could be back in the lineup this week.
*Louisiana native Will Harris is helping out flood victims.
*Corpus has won 80 games for the second straight year. According to the Hooks' Michael Coffin, four Texas League teams have won 80 games in back-to-back seasons. The Hooks have done it twice.
*Watch Fresno's Andrew Aplin make a ridiculous catch in center-field.
*George Springer's parents were named Little League Parents of the Year.
*The Detroit Free Press' Mary Chapman spoke to a longtime umpire to talk about ejections. Like every link I put in here, it's well worth your time.
*Before you go: This is the greatest gif of all time.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
