Man. Houston blew a 7-3 lead, Ryne Stanek blew a gasket. The Astros dropped their second straight to the Dodgers, their 7th loss in their last nine games. Houston is 41-36, back in third place.
*Stanek, on the "balk" (the first of his career)
He said I moved my leg, which was pretty obvious because I stepped off the mound. Beyond that, I wholeheartedly disagree. A balk is intentionally trying to deceive a runner. At what point was I trying to deceive a runner? I hadn't even come set yet. I literally was just stepping backwards.
It was a balk. He got it right. Obviously in a game like that, you don't want it to be the deciding run in that situation. But they got the call right. And I think Stanek was looking at the pitch clock maybe, maybe trying to step off, call timeout, and then his cleat got stuck, but it was a balk by the letter of the law. So we'll take it. It was his right knee that moved.
Dusty:
Boy, that's a tough way to lose.
*Last night's game was the second time in the Astros' last six games, and the third time in June, that they scored at least seven runs and lost.
*Alex Bregman was 2x5 with a grand slam. It's the sixth grand slam of his career, and his second in the last three weeks.
*Jose Altuve was 3x5 with two runs scored. It's the third 3-hit game of the season for Altuve - and don't forget that last night was his 26th game of 2023. It's the 191st 3-hit game of his career, postseason included.
*Kyle Tucker was 1x2 with three walks, his first 3BB game since May 10, 2022.
*After a two-day reset, Jose Abreu was 2x4 with a double, sac fly, RBI. It was just the fifth game in June in which Abreu did not strike out, and his first game with an RBI since June 14 - also the date of his last multi-hit game.
*Ronel Blanco was serviceable: 6IP, 2H/3ER, 6K:2BB. Three of the four baserunners he allowed scored via home run.
*Phil Maton was not: 0.2IP, 2H/2ER, 0K:0BB, HBP, HR. It was the first home run he'd allowed since April 29.
*So was Bryan Abreu: 0.1IP, 1H/3ER, 0K:3BB. Abreu has allowed at least one earned run in three of his last five appearances.
*At 5.19, Houston has the 5th-worst bullpen ERA in June. They only have four saves this month. The bullpen's 15 losses are tied for the 5th-most in MLB,
*Jose Urquidy threw a bullpen yesterday and plans to throw two more before facing live batters.
*Jon Homerton is back with the Astros, and hit a home run in his first game with Sugar Land. Pedro Leon hit for the cycle for the first time in Space Cowboys history.
Chandler Rome: Why the Astros reunited with Jon Homerton.
*The Angels beat Colorado 25-1. They had scored 26 runs in their previous seven games combined.
*If you're too young to remember Tower Records, here's what you missed.
*Texas Monthly: Hellhounds On His Trail: Mack McCormick's Long, Tortured Quest To Find The Real Robert Johnson.
*A Musical Selection:
