The Astros whimpered into their first evening game in months, losing 5-1 to Seattle. They're 49-39, still two games back. Houston has lost five of the last seven series-opening games.
*The Astros were held to one run for the first time since June 19 - a span of 16 games.
*The homer-less game broke the Astros 17-game streak with at least one home run.
*The Mariners are now 7-16 at Minute Maid Park, postseason included, since the beginning of the 2021 season.
*On June 19 the Astros lost 11-1 to the Mets. Since then:
Houston: 10-5
Toronto: 9-5
Cleveland: 10-6
Minnesota: 9-6
New York: 9-7
Seattle: 8-8
Baltimore/Boston/Detroit: 7-8
Oakland/Tampa/Chicago: 6-9
Arlington/Kansas City: 6-10
Anaheim: 4-11
*Corey Julks had three of the Astros' seven hits, he had the only extra-base hit, and drove in the only run. Julks has a four-game multi-hit streak, with eleven hits and a walk in his last 17 Plate Appearances, for a .688/.706/.813 streak. Julks has raised his OPS 56 points in the last four games.
I'm getting comfortable each day, putting in the work before the games and just trusting myself, trusting the staff, what they tell me, and go execute in the game.
*Ronel Blanco threw a spot Quality Start, and at least gave the Astros a chance: 6IP, 3H/3ER, 9K:2BB, 2HR, . It was Blanco's sixth start for the Astros, and he's given up 11 home runs, including a stretch of five straight starts with 2HR allowed. 14 of the 24 runs he's allowed have come via the long ball.
He's just been plagued by the home run ball. He threw the ball well tonight. He didn't give up many hits. The walk before Suarez hurt, then he made a mistake. He's just got to bear down a little bit and concentrate just a little more, because he's throwing the ball well.
*I simply refuse to believe that last night was only the third time George Kirby has faced the Astros. I swear that dude pitches twice in every series. Anyway:
Kirby vs Astros, regular season & postseason, career: 17.2IP, 16H/3ER, 15K:2BB.
*The Astros placed Jose Altuve on the 10-Day IL in a purely transactional move, to open up a spot on the active roster. He would be eligible to return the first game after the All-Star Break. Altuve:
When I swung and I felt it, I thought it would be worse, but the MRI said totally different. It's a minor thing. I'm really happy. Which is good news for me. We've still got to do a lot of stuff to get back to 100 percent.
*$775 million for this? How the Mets (41-46) and Padres (also 41-46, lol) went from pre-season favorites to first-half failures.
*Wired: How Threads Could Kill Twitter.
*Ryan Bingham covered "Possum Kingdom," and I have so many mixed feelings about it. Listen to it here.
*The Biggest Cheating Scandals In Sports Movie History, Ranked.
*A Musical Selection:
