WOW this is really stupid. The Astros had a 2-0 lead against Oakland and the three guys who had MLB experience prior to 2020 managed to completely blow it. Houston is 22-22, 6-16 on the road, and are now 5.5 games back of Oakland with 16 games to play.
*I know that 2020 is adjacent to the very pit of hell itself, but let's take a look at recent road winning percentages:
2020: 6-16 (.273)
2019: 47-34 (.580)
2018: 57-24 (.704)
2017: 53-28 (.654)
2016: 41-40 (.506)
2015: 33-48 (.407)
2014: 32-49 (.395)
2013: 27-54 (.333)
2012: 20-61 (.247)
2011: 25-56 (.309)
2010: 34-47 (.420)
*Let's look at the pitching lines from last night's "game:"
Garcia/Scrubb/Paredes: 6.2IP, 3H/0ER, 6K:2BB. None of these pitchers had pitched in the Majors before this year.
Perez/James/Pressly: 2IP, 2H/3ER, 1K:5BB. All of these pitchers had pitched in the Majors prior to 2020.
Josh James, 2020: 11.1IP, 13H/14ER, 14K:16BB. 11.12 ERA / 2.56 WHIP.
The Astros walked the 8-hole catcher, .222-hitting Sean Murphy, three mf times. Dusty:
It's totally debilitating because they live off walks. The last few innings we had walks. We're pitching Murphy like it's Johnny Bench or something...We just gave that game away to them.
Murphy had never walked three times in a game before.
*Houston is 3-8 in September, 1-7 in their last eight games.
*Houston vs. AL West: 15-13. They're 8-2 against Seattle/Arlington, and 7-11 against Oakland and Anaheim. Morons.
*Last night was the third time this season the Astros have been held to four or fewer hits. It's the 7th time in 44 games the Astros have hit 2+ HR and lost the game. It happened 15 times in the 2019 regular season.
*Luis Garcia who, prior to 2020 had not pitched above High-A Fayetteville, was excellent: 5IP, 1H/0ER, 4K:2BB. Everyone except George Springer owes him a got dang apology. Chandler Rome: Luis Garcia's ascent to the Majors started on top of a parking garage.
*George Springer hit his 38th career lead-off home run, 4th-best all-time in the AL. Springer has a 9-game hitting streak, raising his OPS from .718 to .826 in the process.
*Oakland tied the game on a two-run double that glanced off of Kyle Tucker's glove. Dusty:
It looked like Tucker had caught the ball, and the next thing I know, the ball is rolling around in the bullpen. That was the first downer. Like I said, we just gave that game away to them.
*Something named a "Justin Verlander" threw a 50-55-pitch bullpen session in Houston yesterday.
*Martin Maldonado wore cleats honoring Roberto Clemente. Bregman's efforts to help the Houston Food Bank led to his nomination for the Roberto Clemente Award. He's not going to win it because of trash cans in 2017, but the man helped raise almost $2 million dollars to help those in need in Houston.
*Albert Pujols tied Craig Biggio for 5th place on the all-time doubles list, with 668.
*The Braves scored two weeks' worth of runs (for the 2020 Astros) last night against Miami.
*FanGraphs' Ben Clemens: Gerrit Cole's Bummer Summer.
*Like Jeff Blogwell, I am absolutely slammed. There has been no time for Reading For Pleasure. Here's a Musical Selection:
