After a much needed 8-2 victory yesterday against Sandy Alcantara and the Marlins, the Astros came into loanDepot park today looking to win round 2 and clinch the series. This time, they would be facing right-hander Cal Quantrill(4-9, 5.21 ERA, 79 SO) while reliever Steven Okert(1-2, 2.98 ERA, 61 SO) got the start today for the Astros after Joe Espada confirmed yesterday that it was pretty much a bullpen day. With that in mind, the boys sought to further their success against the ‘fins regardless of the situation, and still walk away with a W to make it 2 in a row against one of the hottest teams in baseball.
The action didn’t take long to start today for the Astros, as Jesús Sánchez singled to right field in the 1st inning to give the Astros their first baserunner of the game. This set up Jose Altuve to immediately make the Marlins pay by annihilating an 88mph cutter off of Quantrill on a homer to left field to make it 2-0 ‘Stros.(Tying Paredes for the team lead with 19) That homerun by Altuve also broke the tie between him and another Astros great, Lance Berkman, for most extra base hits in franchise history with 728.(Next up, Jeff Bagwell with 969. Only 241 to go!)
Carlos Correa and Christian Walker then struck out and flew out respectively to end the exciting top of the 1st. Okert then worked a clean bottom of the first by retiring the side via ground out(Edwards), strike out(Ramírez), ground out(Stowers).
After an uneventful top of the 2nd for the offense, the Marlins then got on the board after Heriberto Hernandez(say that 5 times fast) singled to center field(getting Okert replaced by Kaleb Ort), and then was scored after an Eric Wagaman walk and Jakob Marsee single to left field to make it 2-1 Astros. Javier Sanoja then flew out to center field to end the inning.
Things got fishy for the Marlins in the top of the 3rd(see what I did there?), as the Astros managed to load the bases with 2 outs, after a Jesús Sánchez double and back to back walks by Altuve and Correa. It was all for not though, as Christian Walker then popped out in foul territory to end the threat and keep the score as is.
AJ Blubaugh then entered the game in the bottom of the 3rd and made quick work of the top of the order 1-2-3 to begin his night, similar to how Steven Okert started.
Then, Mauricio Dubón would line a single to right field with 2 outs in the top of the 4th, which led to a Ramón Urías walk and a Jeremy Peña 2-RBI triple to increase the lead to 4-1.
Blubaugh, as the “bulk pitcher” would come back out for the bottom of the 4th inning and only give up a Heriberto double to center field before retiring the next two batters to close the frame.
Off of the fishing line and into the grease went the Marlins in the top of the 5th, as the Astros poured it on with a Correa single, a Walker double, and a 3-run homer by Yainer Diaz to break the game open at 7-1. (This would mark the first time the Astros have scored 5+ runs in back to back games since the Nationals series.)
Cam Smith then singled, but that was it for the scoring, as Dubón and Urías both hit into contact outs to end the inning. (After the Cam single, Quantrill would be replaced by Valente Bellozo. Cal finished with a stat line of: 9H, 3BB, 2K, 2HR, and 7ER.)
Blubaugh then gave up a Marsee homer to begin the bottom of the 5th to make it 7-2, but that was it from the Marlins in the inning.
Blubaugh and Bellozo would then exchange quick innings back and forth until the bottom of the 7th, as AJ would give up an Eric Wagaman home run to make it 7-3 Astros. Similar to the last solo shot in the bottom of the 4th, that was all the Marlins would muster.
Bryan Abreu then took the ball from Blubaugh for the bottom of the 8th, ending his night and handing him the W in the process if the Astros held on to win the game. (Spoiler alert, they did)
Abreu made quick work of the fish in the frame, with Josh Hader following suit in the bottom of the 9th by getting Javier Sanoja to ground out to end the game. Astros get the victory over Miami 7-3, clinching the series and extending their win streak to 2 games.
While Yainer Diaz was named the offensive player of the game, going 1-4 with 1HR and 3 RBI’s, much credit goes to AJ Blubaugh for shouldering the bulk of the pitching load for the team today. He finished with a line of: 3H, 1BB, 5K, 2HR, and 2ER. That’ll do for a bullpen game anyday.
The Astros look for the sweep tomorrow, as Spencer Arrighetti(1-1, 5.59 ERA, 8 SO), on the IL since April 8th, makes his long awaited and much anticipated return to the mound after a nearly 4 month absence due to a fractured right thumb. He’ll be going head to head against righty Janson Junk(5-2, 3.86 ERA, 48 SO), and with the win he will help secure both the team’s first 3 game winning streak and series sweep against an opponent since the road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in late July.