The Astros beat Cleveland last night, 7-3, scoring seven of the final eight runs of the game to improve to 60-47. Houston went 15-10 in July, 10-6 since the All-Star Break, scoring 131 runs in 25 games. South Hurst didn't play, so the Astros are 0.5 games back, closest they've been since May 20.
*Houston is now 9-11 against the AL Central, the 2nd-worst record against that garbage division in the AL (Oakland is 7-11).
*Astros pitchers had allowed a home run in eight straight games. Houston is 25-8 when they don't allow a homer.
*J.P. France: 7IP, 7H/2ER, 6K:2BB. It was his third straight start - and fourth in his last six - in which France recorded 21 outs. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in ten of his 15 starts. France's 1.88 ERA since June 28 is the 8th-lowest in MLB among starters who threw at least 30IP.
France threw a first-pitch strike to 21 of the 28 batters he faced.
*Jose Altuve was 1x2 with 3BB and two runs scored, and two stolen bases. It's his first 2SB game since August 17, 2022.
*Yordan Alvarez re-took the team lead with his 19th home run of the season. Astros HR leaders (with PAs in parentheses):
Yordan: 19 (263)
Tucker: 18 (446)
Bregman: 18 (470)
*Jeremy Pena was 0x3 hitting in the #2 hole. In the last six games where he's been hitting second, he's hitting .320/.370/.400.
*Corey Julks went 0x4, bringing him to 0 hits in his last 38 PAs. His OPS has dipped 71 points since his last hit, on July 18.
*Ryan Pressly has thrown 48.1IP in 2023, matching the number of innings he threw in 2022. It is August 1.
*The Trade Deadline is today. Chandler Rome: The Astros are waiting to see if they'll make a splash.
*The Astros are still in on Justin Verlander. Talks with the Mets have accelerated over the last 24 hours.
*A Musical Selection:
