*Houston has now won back-to-back games for the first time since August 6-7. Houston has won 14 out of their last 18 games at Safeco Field.
*Yesterday was the 16th time the Astros have allowing 7+ runs. They're now 2-14 when allowing 7+ runs, the other win coming against Arlington on June 10. Over their last 12 games the Astros are 4-8 and have allowed 57 runs.
*It was the 15th time Houston has scored 10+ runs. The Astros are 51-9 when scoring 5+ runs in a game.
*With two more GIDPs the Astros now have 22 GIDPs in August. GIDPs by month, 2018:
March/April: 22
May:25
June: 35
July: 21
August: 22
*Tyler White was 3x5 with a single, triple, and a home run (wink). Martin Maldonado was 3x5 with 3RBI on a single, double, and a home run.
*Behold, the Astros GIF to end all Astros GIFs:
Legends. pic.twitter.com/Z0UiCAxGCd— Houston Astros (@astros) August 22, 2018
*Carlos Correa was the only player in the lineup without a hit. In 40 PAs since returning from the DL Correa is hitting .171/.250/.200 with 12K:4BB and one extra-base hit, a double.
*Charlie Morton, Innings 1-4: 4IP, 2H/1ER, 5K:1BB
Charlie Morton, Innings 5-6: 1+IP, 5H/2ER, 2K:0BB, 2 HBP
Morton:
Good and then bad. I gave up a bunch of runs in the sixth. I wasn't really mixing very well and I wasn't executing my sinker in good locations, and the offspeed I did throw was awful.
Tony Kemp, who had three hits:
I think the good thing about our team is that once someone gets out or gets a hit, they come back to the dugout and are really communicative toward their teammates. That's good. Sometimes you hit slumps, you hit ruts, and people don't talk as much. But I think the main thing is our communication is at a high level right now, and that's what we have to keep doing to be successful.
*Ryan Pressly since joining the Astros: 9.2IP, 6H/2ER, 13K:0BB.
*Roberto Osuna since joining the Astros: 7IP, 8H/2ER, 7K:1BB. He recorded his first save since May 6.
*Hinch, on Pressly/Rondon/Osuna:
You can't hate how you win if you win. It was good for us, especially the last three innings with the guys we threw. That's exactly how you draw it up. All three were dominant. The way those guys responded and held it down was pretty nice.
*George Springer was out of the lineup for the third straight game as the Astros try to manage quad soreness and probably some residual soreness in his thumb. Hinch:
I know we're all frustrated and he's frustrated that he's not going to play today. He ran really hard [Wednesday]. He told me and the trainers told me he could probably play at a reduced level, whether that's 90 percent, 80 percent or whatever. The recommendation is to give him another day, and we have the day off [today], and we'll aim for Friday.
*The two-time defending World Series Champion Houston Astros will open the 2019 season at Tampa Bay on March 28. They'll play games in Mexico next year, too. More thoughts on this later.
*In The Athletic, Jake Kaplan takes a look at which minor-leaguers might get called up in September.
*Fresno was down 8-3 after six innings at Sacramento. Kyle Tucker hit a solo home run in the 7th and a grand slam in the 9th to tie the game as Fresno went on to a 10-8 win after a 6-run 9th inning. Grizzlies pitchers need just 57 strikeouts to break the all-time PCL record for strikeouts in a single season.
*Corpus took a 9-3 lead and held on to a 9-8 win over Midland. Brian McCann was 0x3 with a walk. Chris Devenski threw 1IP, 2H/1ER, 3K:0BB.
*At Buies Creek, 1-2 in the lineup Corey Julks and JJ
