*The Astros acquired a new Dallas Keuchel, one who looked a whole lot like the old Dallas Keuchel, in a 2-1 win over the Farmer's Branch Rangers of East Tarrant County. The win snapped a 5-game losing streak and a 7-game road losing streak. The Astros are 72-45. The Angels swept the Mariners, so the Astros lead is 12 games with 45 games remaining.
*It was the first time the Astros won having scored two or fewer runs since May 26. In 23 games in which they were held to 0-2 runs, the Astros are now 5-18.
*Hinch:
The 27th out was about as good as it gets, to get to the finish line with a win. We've won so many games this year, it's funny how you really feel like you need one. Obviously, it's been a bad week for us, results-wise. It's a pretty hard-fought win.
*Keuchel: 6.2IP, 6H/1ER, 7K:3BB. He threw 60 of his 97 pitches for strikes. Keuchel, speaking directly to you and me:
It's amazing how many people start freaking out when you don't have a couple good starts. The world's ending or you're not as good any more. You're a scrub. Stay the course, and that's good. That's what you've got to do if you want to last in this game.
*Chris Devenski faced three batters - one to close out the 7th, and two to open the 8th. He walked both batters to begin the 8th inning, he's walked four of the past ten batters he has faced. Devenski's last ten appearances: 7.1IP, 5H/4R (3ER), 5K:5BB.
*Ken Giles recorded a six-out save, the first of his career. Giles:
There was a lot of adrenaline. Luckily, I was able to control it really well today, just take deep breaths in between pitches and just focus on the main goal, and that was to get Devo out of the jam and then going for the win after that.
Giles, in save situations, 2017: .191/.253/.303, 36K:8BB.
Giles, in saves, 2017: .129/.195/.143, 30K:6BB.
*Ramgers starting pitcher Andrew Cashner - who looks like he walked off the Appalachian Trail and found a jersey - recorded a 60 Game Score. It's the 26th time the opposing pitcher has recorded a Game Score of 60+, and the Astros are 10-16.
*Jose Altuve hit his 18th home run of the season. Last year, when Altuve hit a career-high 24 home runs, he hit one home run every 29.88 plate appearances. This year he's hitting a home run at a pace of one every 27.78 plate appearances.
*Yulieski Gurriel hit his 31st double, a franchise rookie record.
*The biggest news of the night was not the fellating of the entire Northeast region by ESPN, but rather the Astros FINALLY PULLING THE TRIGGER ON A TRADE FOR A WHITE SOX PITCHER. The Astros traded a PTBNL/Cash to the White Sox for Tyler Clippard. Clippard was acquired by the White Sox in the Todd Frazier trade with the Yankees on July 19, so the Astros will be his 3rd team in a calendar month.
Like most relievers, their dashboard numbers can get blown up by a couple of bad outings. In 46.1IP this season, Clippard has allowed 36H/22ER, 54K:24BB, a 4.27 ERA/1.29 WHIP. Clippard had a seven-game stretch from June 20-July 7 in which he threw 6IP, 10H/13ER, 8K:7BB. Since then, which is really since the All-Star Break, Clippard has thrown 12IP, 10H/2ER, 12K:5BB, a 1.50 ERA/1.25 WHIP.
Clippard will be a free agent at the end of the season. He's making $6.15m this season, so the Astros will take on the remaining $1.7m(ish) of his deal. Good move to bolster the bullpen at very little cost.
*The 40-Man roster is now full, and the Astros will have to make a corresponding move before tonight's game at Arizona. And the Astros are still looking to make more moves.
*Will Harris threw a bullpen session and reported no pain. Hinch said Harris will throw multiple bullpen sessions before going out on a multi-appearance rehab assignment. I'd look for him to come back around the end of the month.
*Boston Herald's Michael Silverman sets a record with eleven straight one-sentence paragraphs to open a column saying the Red Sox should go ahead and take the best record in the AL from the Astros.
*Derek Fisher played at Globe Life Park this weekend, six years after getting drafted in the 6th Round by the Rangers but going to the University of Virginia instead. Fisher:
I think a lot of it had to do with, honestly, as it got closer to feeling like I was going to be in professional baseball, I felt like I wasn't really ready for it as a person.
*LA Times: Capturing camaraderie in a minor-league baseball team.
*Chad Bettis will return to the mound tonight after fighting cancer.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
