*Gerrit Cole allowed five hits and gave up four earned runs, three of those came on solo home runs. This is Snidely Whiplash-lookin ass booiiiiiiii Rob Manfred's doing. Piece of crap commissioner. It's the first time in his career that Gerrit Cole has allowed three home runs in a start. It's the 16th time this season that a starter has allowed five or fewer hits with three of those leaving the park. Manfred, you idiot. Cole had allowed 4ER in his previous 27IP combined. Two of the home runs he allowed came on 0-2 pitches.
Cole has struck out 13+ batters four times in his career. All four times have been with the Astros and two of them have been against the Rangers.
*Gerrit Cole threw a first-pitch strike to 23 of the 26 batters he faced. He has 182 strikeouts, two more than Max Scherzer for the overall MLB lead. He has a 3.23 ERA and these idiots are 13-7 when he starts. Cole:
It was like a heavyweight slugfest. Came up short, but it was an entertaining game. It was quite a game.
*Astros pitchers allowed 5HR for the 5th time this season. What in the actual hell.
*The dumbass bullpen blew an 8-4 lead in the middle of the 7th. Hinch:
We just couldn't keep them from scoring. They did a better job of finding ways to win the game. Credit them for an offensive approach that worked for them tonight, especially as the game went on.
*For whatever reason, Ryan Pressly exited the game after throwing exactly nine pitches.
*The Astros hit four home runs and lost. It's the 22nd time in 2019 it has happened to an MLB team, the 3rd time it's happened to the Astros this year.
*Yordan Alvarez was 3x3 with a walk and two home runs, his 8th and 9th of the year. He has played in 21 games.
*Jose Altuve hit his first home run since June 23. The Astros are now 9-1 in games where Altuve homers.
*Yuli Gurriel hit another home run. On May 2, Gurriel was hitting .234/.289/.360. Since then (55 games) Gurriel is hitting .298/.325/.547 with 12 doubles, a triple, and 14 home runs. Since June 9 he's hitting .337/.383/.735.
*Robinson Chirinos was ahead 3-0 in the count in the top of the 8th and struck out on six pitches without ever taking his bat off his shoulder. It was the 9th time in 87 PAs in his career that he was ahead 3-0 and struck out. Benedict Arnold lookin-ass boooiiiii. In his last 20 starts (dating back to June 9) Chirinos is hitting .160/.256/.253 with 35K:9BB in 86 PAs.
*Joe Smith was activated from the IL after sustaining a ruptured achilles tendon in December. To make room on the 40-Man, Carlos Correa was placed on the 60-Day IL, which means it's a minimum of two weeks before he's ready to rejoin the team. Cy Sneed was optioned to Round Rock to clear room on the active roster.
In that link we also find that the Astros might go with an Opener on Tuesday to try to help Framber Valdez out. Hinch:
I think we have to look at it. We haven't discussed it internally. The reason I've been reluctant is not because I don't believe in it or I don't see it as an option, it's just we haven't had a rotation that's been built that we've needed [an opener].
*Jake Kaplan: Who is SP5?
*Aledmys Diaz will begin a rehab assignment on Monday.
*J.B. Bukauskas had himself a decent little start: 6IP, 2H/1ER, 6K:4BB in a 5-2 Corpus win.
*Forrest Whitley made his first rehab start for the GCL Astros and got five outs, all by strikeout, but allowed 1H/3ER on 3BB. He threw 29 pitches in a 4-2 GCL Astros loss.
*The Angels threw a combined no-hitter against Seattle in Anaheim as they honored Tyler Skaggs. Today (Saturday, 7/13) would have been Skaggs' birthday. Mike Trout noted that the Angels scored seven runs in the first and ended up with 13 runs total.
The @Angels paid tribute to Tyler Skaggs by throwing a combined no-hitter against the Mariners in Anaheim.— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) July 13, 2019
The last time there was a combined no-hitter in the state of California? Orioles-A's in Oakland on July 13, 1991 - the same day Tyler Skaggs was born.#TheHaloWay
*Baltimore will extend netting from foul pole to foul pole.
*A Musical Selection:
