If the Astros are going to keep this "lose dumb games to the Ramgers" thing up, maybe it's a good thing that college football starts back up this weekend. (Ed. Note: Go OU).
The Astros took an early lead, gave up seven runs in the 4th and did battle back but, in what may be a metaphor for this season, they couldn't overcome that 4th inning in which Fister allowed home runs to Beltran, Odor, and Lucroy. The Astros lose 10-8.
*Yulieski Gurriel took grounders at 1B and played the position in the 6th inning.
*Who Won Yesterday: The Orioles, Tigers, Red Sox, Mariners
Who Lost Yesterday: The Yankees, Blue Jays, Royals,
Not that we didn't know this, but the division is done. No chance. The Astros would have to be 10 games better than the Rangers with 27 games remaining. Meaning if the Rangers somehow went 13-14 over their remaining games, the Astros would have to go 24-4 to finish the season. The Astros are playing spoiler...with our hearts.
So the Wild Card race now looks like this (numbers relative to the Astros):
WC1: Boston: +2
WC2: Baltimore/Detroit: 0
Houston: -2
*Carlos Gomez says the energy in the Rangers' clubhouse is different:
You go 0-for-4 with strikeouts and you feel like it's 4-for-4 with all the positive energy. Everybody comes to you like you're the best. That makes this team extremely good.
Since we do not know anything for sure, we will not compare/contrast the energy in the Astros' clubhouse. It is notable that this was Gomez's quote, though. /slams head in car door
*Dallas Keuchel will not pitch until Tuesday as he deals with fatigue. Hinch:
He's not responding to the in-between starts as well as we want him to. We're just going to give him as much time as possible. If we have to address it again, there will be some concern. With a week of playing the Rangers and the Indians, this is the best way to do it.
*Alex Bregman hit a homer and a two-run triple, and Hinch says we're watching a player mature right in front of our eyes. Hinch:
He's just maturing. I think he's a good hitter, but he's a good [overall] player. He was a good player when he went 1-for-32, and he's been a good player with the way he's played this last month.
*Brady Rodgers, James Hoyt, Jandel Gustave, and Tyler White are the first wave of September call-ups. It's Houston native Rodgers' first stint with the Astros. Rodgers:
It's been really emotional. Not too many kids get to say [they get] to play for the team that they grew up watching and put on the jersey for a big league team they grew up loving.
*Awful and sad news as the 10-year old boy who inspired an Altuve home run against the Mariners has passed away.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
