This is way more fun, yes? The Astros beat the Mariners 5-2, the Indians lost, and the Rangers were officially eliminated from the AL West race. The Astros are 89-58, 14 up on the Angels with 15 to play. They're also 1.5 back of the Indians, but one back in the Loss column. Last couple of weeks should be pretty fun. An Astros win and an Angels loss will clinch the division today. Astros play at noon, Angels play at 8pm.
*Correa:
We're excited. We can't wait for that. We're chasing that first and then we want obviously to have the best record in the American League. So hopefully we can clinch soon and then go after the other one.
*Hinch:
It's trending to where it looks like it's going to be a fun homestand in front of our fans. It's an opportunity you set out for in the beginning of Spring Training. To close out a division is hard. It's hard doing what we're doing.
*Hinch dropped the mic to Richard Justice before yesterday's game:
Someone had to win 20-plus games in a row to even be relevant with us, so that tells you what kind of season we're having.
*FanGraphs is still projecting the Indians to finish with the AL's best overall record by one game.
*The Astros' 89th win of the season moves them into a tie for 7th in franchise history, with the 2005 and 1979 Astros.
*The Astros didn't get in from Anaheim until 7am yesterday and weren't required to be at Minute Maid until 5pm.
*James Paxton gave up 4H/3ER, 0K:2BB in 1.1IP last night. In his three previous starts against Houston, Paxton had allowed 12H/1ER, 20K:4BB in 20IP.
*Charlie Morton threw 6IP, 5H/1ER, 7K:1BB despite working from behind in the count a lot. He only threw a first pitch strike to 12 of the 23 batters he faced. Morton's 12 wins are a career high.
*Ken Giles recorded his 31st save of the year, tying him with 2015 Luke Gregerson for most saves by an Astros reliever since Jose Valverde saved 44 games in 2008. And last night I wrote that Ken Giles is actually kind of Billy Wagner.
*Francisco Liriano struck out the side on 11 pitches.
*George Springer was 1x2 with 3BB. It was his first 3BB game of the season and the 8th of his career.
*Altuve 200-hit watch: Altuve went 1x4 last night and is sitting at 191 hits.
*The Astros might put McCullers in the bullpen for Tuesday's game against the White Sox.
*New Britain, Connecticut - Springer's home town - sent three 53' trucks to Houston full of supplies.
*The Astros gave a veteran a new car.
*A fan did a Thing at the game and the people in the stands weren't having it.
*Jeff Sullivan broke down where each team is getting their wins.
*The Red Sox got slapped on the wrist for the Apple Watch fiasco (I refuse to use anything that ends with "-gate")
*The story behind the guy behind the greatest baseball gif of all time.
*I've started putting the separate interviews from last weekend's Bozoathon up on SoundCloud, or you can keep track of the ones I add here.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
Showing posts with label Mariners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mariners. Show all posts
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Friday, May 23, 2014
From the Office of the County Clerk - G48: Astros at Mariners
Jarred Cosart (3-3, 4.41) versus Roenis Elias (3-3, 3.88)
Another sloppy defensive performance from the Astros combined with a lack of timely hits doomed the Astros to a 3-1 loss in Seattle. Jose Altuve hit a home run off the first pitch of the game.... and that was it for the Astros offence (at least in terms of scoring). Tony Sipp's golden run as an Astro reliever comes to a screeching halt. More poor catching on wild pitches also contributed to the loss. Astros lose their third in a row, and are in a 1-0 hole in a four game road series against Seattle.
On the Bump:
Jarred Cosart fought his command all night, but managed six innings of one-run ball before starting the seventh. At that time, the game was tied 1-1, but two consecutive singles followed by a wild pitch left runners on second and third with no outs. Nick Franklin then walked before Cosart struck out Mike Zunino swinging for the first out. He then hit the showers and Tony Sipp relieved, getting a Cole Gillespie pop-up on a 3-1 count.
Then, on a 3-2 count, Sipp got Micheal Saunders to ground out softly to first. He dilly-dallied off the mound, was late to cover first, and Saunders kicked the front of the back with his toe as Sipp was an inch off grounding his heel on the bag. Sipp was slow off the mound, and he also appeared to slow as he approached the bag. Two runs scored on the play, as the runners were off and going on a 3-2 count.
Bo Porter asked for the play to be reviewed, and the camera view down the first-base line initially appeared to support the Astros cause. However, the side-on view didn't, and the safe call was rightly upheld in the New York umpiring box. Sipp then walked Robinson Cano (mostly intentionally), then managed to retire Kyle Seagar on a deep flyout.
Cosart's final line was decent, but also a little generous given his trouble throwing strikes: 6.1IP, 5H, 3R/ER, 4BB, 6K. 105 pitches, 59 strikes (24 called strikes, 9 swinging strikes, 9 foul balls, 17 balls in play). He gave up an early run in the first on a single-single-sac fly sequence, then he recovered to end the inning with a groundout and line-out. One double-play, and only one inning (the 5th) where he retired the side in order.
Tony Sipp ended his streak of 21 straight base runners retired to start his Astros career. He allowed the abovementioned hit, and the subsequent walk. Comment was made that he last pitched a week ago against the White Sox, and he certainly seemed rusty with three consecutive three-ball counts (albeit with two of the last three balls were intentional against Cano).
Josh Fields helped exorcise his Safeco demons by walking one in a scoreless eighth, getting 4 swinging strikes in 18 pitches.
At the Plate:
Tonights game was quite unlike last nights game. Last night, not much happened offensively and the opposing pitcher efficiently carved through the Astros lineup. Tonight, the opposing pitcher struggled, allowing 7 base runners, and needing 90 pitches to get through 5. However, the result in the all-important runs column was the same, with the only runs scored off a solo homer. The Astros blew three consecutive innings were the first two runners reached base.
Jose Altuve mashed the first pitch of the ballgame (an inside, 92mph, thigh-high fastball) over the left-field wall for a solo homer. Dexter Fowler then walked, continuing his impressive on-base form of late. But a strikeout (Dominguez), flyout (Castro) and stakeout (Carter) ended the inning without further damage.
In the second, Guzman singled and Hoes walked with no out, but they were stranded (line out, K, GO). In the third, Fowler walked and Domingues singled, but they too were stranded (K, K, line out). The left-handed Elias then retired the next 7 in order, and was relieved after walking Chris Carter on 4-straight balls with one out in the sixth.
The Mariners bullpen then dominated: K, K, GO, GO, single (with stolen base shortly afterward), GO, K, K, K, GO, GO, GO. Yikes. Fernando Rodney got to mime shooting an arrow into the air. Damn.
Altuve finished 2-4, and saw 8 pitches in the game. Fowler walked twice in the two-hole. Dominguez singled once. Castro followed with an 0-4, 3K game. Carter (BB), Guzman (single) and Hoes (BB) (the 5, 6, 7 hitters) were all on base once. Villar and Presley didn't trouble the scorers.
Turning Point:
Tony Sipp anyone? Actually, the events before his appearance didn't help either. Cosart was at 88 pitches starting the 7th, and loaded the bases with no outs before striking out Mike Zunino on a 2-2 count. Sipp then got a pop out, and nearly continued his perfect Astros career before neglecting to cover first on a soft grounder to the right side.
It is easy to blame Sipp here, but he also fought his command, and appeared rusty and out-of-sorts from the get-go.
Hero:
Altuve would be the closest to a Hero, but overall this was another sloppily executed, un-clutch road game for this young team.
Goat:
Sipp. And rust. Who knows, may have been unavailable because of niggles over the last week or so, and that may explain the command difficulties.
Next up:
Things don't get any easier:
Brad Peacock (1-4, 5.20, xFIP 4.48) versus Felix Hernandez (5-1, 2.94, xFIP 2.84)
That said, Felix is 0-1 in two meetings against the 'stros this year, and Peacock has pitched a little better (6.2 - 2ER, 6 - 4ER and 6.2 - 3ER) in his last three outings.
10:10 Eastern, 9:10 Central.
Another sloppy defensive performance from the Astros combined with a lack of timely hits doomed the Astros to a 3-1 loss in Seattle. Jose Altuve hit a home run off the first pitch of the game.... and that was it for the Astros offence (at least in terms of scoring). Tony Sipp's golden run as an Astro reliever comes to a screeching halt. More poor catching on wild pitches also contributed to the loss. Astros lose their third in a row, and are in a 1-0 hole in a four game road series against Seattle.
On the Bump:
Jarred Cosart fought his command all night, but managed six innings of one-run ball before starting the seventh. At that time, the game was tied 1-1, but two consecutive singles followed by a wild pitch left runners on second and third with no outs. Nick Franklin then walked before Cosart struck out Mike Zunino swinging for the first out. He then hit the showers and Tony Sipp relieved, getting a Cole Gillespie pop-up on a 3-1 count.
Then, on a 3-2 count, Sipp got Micheal Saunders to ground out softly to first. He dilly-dallied off the mound, was late to cover first, and Saunders kicked the front of the back with his toe as Sipp was an inch off grounding his heel on the bag. Sipp was slow off the mound, and he also appeared to slow as he approached the bag. Two runs scored on the play, as the runners were off and going on a 3-2 count.
Bo Porter asked for the play to be reviewed, and the camera view down the first-base line initially appeared to support the Astros cause. However, the side-on view didn't, and the safe call was rightly upheld in the New York umpiring box. Sipp then walked Robinson Cano (mostly intentionally), then managed to retire Kyle Seagar on a deep flyout.
Cosart's final line was decent, but also a little generous given his trouble throwing strikes: 6.1IP, 5H, 3R/ER, 4BB, 6K. 105 pitches, 59 strikes (24 called strikes, 9 swinging strikes, 9 foul balls, 17 balls in play). He gave up an early run in the first on a single-single-sac fly sequence, then he recovered to end the inning with a groundout and line-out. One double-play, and only one inning (the 5th) where he retired the side in order.
Tony Sipp ended his streak of 21 straight base runners retired to start his Astros career. He allowed the abovementioned hit, and the subsequent walk. Comment was made that he last pitched a week ago against the White Sox, and he certainly seemed rusty with three consecutive three-ball counts (albeit with two of the last three balls were intentional against Cano).
Josh Fields helped exorcise his Safeco demons by walking one in a scoreless eighth, getting 4 swinging strikes in 18 pitches.
At the Plate:
Tonights game was quite unlike last nights game. Last night, not much happened offensively and the opposing pitcher efficiently carved through the Astros lineup. Tonight, the opposing pitcher struggled, allowing 7 base runners, and needing 90 pitches to get through 5. However, the result in the all-important runs column was the same, with the only runs scored off a solo homer. The Astros blew three consecutive innings were the first two runners reached base.
Jose Altuve mashed the first pitch of the ballgame (an inside, 92mph, thigh-high fastball) over the left-field wall for a solo homer. Dexter Fowler then walked, continuing his impressive on-base form of late. But a strikeout (Dominguez), flyout (Castro) and stakeout (Carter) ended the inning without further damage.
In the second, Guzman singled and Hoes walked with no out, but they were stranded (line out, K, GO). In the third, Fowler walked and Domingues singled, but they too were stranded (K, K, line out). The left-handed Elias then retired the next 7 in order, and was relieved after walking Chris Carter on 4-straight balls with one out in the sixth.
The Mariners bullpen then dominated: K, K, GO, GO, single (with stolen base shortly afterward), GO, K, K, K, GO, GO, GO. Yikes. Fernando Rodney got to mime shooting an arrow into the air. Damn.
Altuve finished 2-4, and saw 8 pitches in the game. Fowler walked twice in the two-hole. Dominguez singled once. Castro followed with an 0-4, 3K game. Carter (BB), Guzman (single) and Hoes (BB) (the 5, 6, 7 hitters) were all on base once. Villar and Presley didn't trouble the scorers.
Turning Point:
Tony Sipp anyone? Actually, the events before his appearance didn't help either. Cosart was at 88 pitches starting the 7th, and loaded the bases with no outs before striking out Mike Zunino on a 2-2 count. Sipp then got a pop out, and nearly continued his perfect Astros career before neglecting to cover first on a soft grounder to the right side.
It is easy to blame Sipp here, but he also fought his command, and appeared rusty and out-of-sorts from the get-go.
Hero:
Altuve would be the closest to a Hero, but overall this was another sloppily executed, un-clutch road game for this young team.
Goat:
Sipp. And rust. Who knows, may have been unavailable because of niggles over the last week or so, and that may explain the command difficulties.
Next up:
Things don't get any easier:
Brad Peacock (1-4, 5.20, xFIP 4.48) versus Felix Hernandez (5-1, 2.94, xFIP 2.84)
That said, Felix is 0-1 in two meetings against the 'stros this year, and Peacock has pitched a little better (6.2 - 2ER, 6 - 4ER and 6.2 - 3ER) in his last three outings.
10:10 Eastern, 9:10 Central.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
From the Office of the County Clerk - G21: Astros @ Mariners
Collin McHugh (0-0, 0.00; Career: 0-8, 5.86) v Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 7.50)
Boom Boom!! The Astros dip into their lucky-pitcher-grab-bag and draw a winner. Collin McHugh, blogger extraordinaire deservedly gets his first major-league win by throwing 6 2/3 scoreless. Second 2-game win streak of the year! To the recap!!
On the Mound
* Collin McHugh is the story of the night, with an equally efficient and nasty performance. In 89 pitches, he managed 6 2/3 innings, with an impressive 12 strikeouts, no walks and 3 hits. Mr McHugh is the new game-score season-record holder (80), threw 61 strikes, and kept the ball on the ground 50% of the time. He was helped by Alex Presley twice in the 2nd, who gunned down a gimpy Corey Hart at second for the first out, and then ran down a fly ball into the left field corner for the third out. He was also helped by Jason Castro in the 5th, with a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play to end the inning.
But the story was really the strikeouts. Nasty, nasty strikeouts. From Gameday, he was hitting both sides of the plate, and hitting the strike zone down with both breaking balls (slider to RHB, curve to LHB).
He started by striking out the side in the first: 88mph cutter to Almonte, swinging; 92mph 4 seamer to Ackley, looking; 93mph 2-seamer to Cano, up and away, swinging. He also struck out the side in the third: 86mph cutter to Saunders, swinging; 93mph 4 seamer to Zunino, swinging; 93mph 2 seamer on Miller, swinging. More nasty on Ackley in the 4th - foul tip on an 87mph cutter, then Seager on a 73mph curve to end the fourth. In the fifth, Zunino on a well-placed 84mph slider, with Castro also making a great play to throw a strike to 2nd. First strikeout looking in the 6th (Almonte, looking at an 86mph cutter), and poor Ackley again (6K's in the series so far) swinging on a 74mph curve to end the 6th. His last strikeout was on the 240-million-dollar-man, Robinson Cano, on a 73mph curve, chasing down and away.
* Raul Valdes came in with two outs in the 7th, and may have been thinking that Collin McHugh's fingernails were a little too long. He promptly walked Kyle Seagar, then gave up a long home run to LF over the visitors bullpen to Justin Smoak. That reduced the lead to two, and put the Mariners back in the game. Put some tension back into the contest as well, likely making Collin a little nervous.
* But Anthony Bass came in, ended the 7th on one pitch, then worked around a one-out double in a scoreless eighth. Quietly having a nice season - now sporting a 2.45 ERA and 3.04 FIP.
* Josh Fields earned his second save in as many nights by striking out Robinson Cano on a full count, and retiring Corey Hart on a line drive to centre, and Kyle Seager on a soft grounder. He now sports an ERA of 2.00, FIP of 1.93
* Astros right-handed pitchers combined for 14 K's, adding to the 14 from last night. Astros left-handed pitchers: walked one.
At the Plate
* Most of the damage happened early. Jose Altuve flew out on the first pitch, Dexter Fowler walked on a full count, then Jason Castro drilled an 0-2 elevated fastball the opposite way, just over the LF wall, for a two run homer (his fourth). Fowler ended the night 1-4, BB, 1R, 2 LOBsters, whereas Castro went 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI.
* Next inning, Chris Carter banged a hanging slider down the left field line into the upper deck for an 0-2 one out home run. He finished 2-4, 2 RBI, K, after also being the architect of a bases loaded, one-out single to CF in the 8th.
(Credit to Erasmo Ramirez at this point. He managed 6 innings total, managing to sort out his early issues with a flat-breaking ball. He saved a pretty exhausted 'pen for the Mariners. Kudos.)
* Matt Dominguez was back at 3rd base, and hit home run to right CF (his fourth) that kept cutting away from Abraham Almonte in the 7th. He finished 1-4, HR but 4 LOB. Still, trending in the right direction.
* Alex Presley, 2-4, had a nice night offensively and defensively (with the abovementioned outfield assist and running warning-track grab).
* Altuve 0-4, BB; Springer 0-4, BB, 3K; Krauss 0-3, 3K... 'nuff said.
Turning Point
Erasmo Ramirez's inability to bury an 0-2 slider to Chris Carter (does he not know about his more mild-mannered alter-ego, Kris Karter??) led to a lead the Astros would never relinquish. This resulted in one of those impressive HR swings that Carter seems to bust out 50-odd times per season (I imagine that some of them go foul). He barely looks like he is swinging, yet the ball fangs off his bat like it was launched from a cannon. Then Carter nonchalantly waltzes around the bases with a kind of relaxed, neutral expression on his face. We saw it a bit in 2013. Only seen it once in 2014 - very seductive power.
Carter's HR landed up where Zunino's long strike landed last night, which got some recognition in the blogosphere for it's distance. To wit:
"Zunino just absolutely destroyed a ball that went foul that may have been fair that was challenged and found to be foul after all, possibly. Most watching said it was probably the farthest hit ball to that part of Safeco they had seen."
Well, Carter just hit one there as well. And it looked easy.
Man of the Match
Twelve filthy K's (presented above in detail), first ML win, subbing in at short notice for an injured ace... Collin McHugh busted out a great, slightly unexpected performance. Plaudits.
Goat of the Game.
The RHP's were great. Not so much the LHP. Would have been nice to (i) issue no walks as a team and (ii) shut the evil Mariners out. Raul Valdes has had a rough start to the 2014 ML season.
Please note for those of you out of the MLB.tv blackout zone tomorrow and with a decent inter-web connection, Astros (& brooms) v Mariners, 3:40 ET, Game of the Day.
Boom Boom!! The Astros dip into their lucky-pitcher-grab-bag and draw a winner. Collin McHugh, blogger extraordinaire deservedly gets his first major-league win by throwing 6 2/3 scoreless. Second 2-game win streak of the year! To the recap!!
On the Mound
* Collin McHugh is the story of the night, with an equally efficient and nasty performance. In 89 pitches, he managed 6 2/3 innings, with an impressive 12 strikeouts, no walks and 3 hits. Mr McHugh is the new game-score season-record holder (80), threw 61 strikes, and kept the ball on the ground 50% of the time. He was helped by Alex Presley twice in the 2nd, who gunned down a gimpy Corey Hart at second for the first out, and then ran down a fly ball into the left field corner for the third out. He was also helped by Jason Castro in the 5th, with a strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out double play to end the inning.
But the story was really the strikeouts. Nasty, nasty strikeouts. From Gameday, he was hitting both sides of the plate, and hitting the strike zone down with both breaking balls (slider to RHB, curve to LHB).
He started by striking out the side in the first: 88mph cutter to Almonte, swinging; 92mph 4 seamer to Ackley, looking; 93mph 2-seamer to Cano, up and away, swinging. He also struck out the side in the third: 86mph cutter to Saunders, swinging; 93mph 4 seamer to Zunino, swinging; 93mph 2 seamer on Miller, swinging. More nasty on Ackley in the 4th - foul tip on an 87mph cutter, then Seager on a 73mph curve to end the fourth. In the fifth, Zunino on a well-placed 84mph slider, with Castro also making a great play to throw a strike to 2nd. First strikeout looking in the 6th (Almonte, looking at an 86mph cutter), and poor Ackley again (6K's in the series so far) swinging on a 74mph curve to end the 6th. His last strikeout was on the 240-million-dollar-man, Robinson Cano, on a 73mph curve, chasing down and away.
* Raul Valdes came in with two outs in the 7th, and may have been thinking that Collin McHugh's fingernails were a little too long. He promptly walked Kyle Seagar, then gave up a long home run to LF over the visitors bullpen to Justin Smoak. That reduced the lead to two, and put the Mariners back in the game. Put some tension back into the contest as well, likely making Collin a little nervous.
* But Anthony Bass came in, ended the 7th on one pitch, then worked around a one-out double in a scoreless eighth. Quietly having a nice season - now sporting a 2.45 ERA and 3.04 FIP.
* Josh Fields earned his second save in as many nights by striking out Robinson Cano on a full count, and retiring Corey Hart on a line drive to centre, and Kyle Seager on a soft grounder. He now sports an ERA of 2.00, FIP of 1.93
* Astros right-handed pitchers combined for 14 K's, adding to the 14 from last night. Astros left-handed pitchers: walked one.
At the Plate
* Most of the damage happened early. Jose Altuve flew out on the first pitch, Dexter Fowler walked on a full count, then Jason Castro drilled an 0-2 elevated fastball the opposite way, just over the LF wall, for a two run homer (his fourth). Fowler ended the night 1-4, BB, 1R, 2 LOBsters, whereas Castro went 2-4, BB, HR, 2 RBI.
* Next inning, Chris Carter banged a hanging slider down the left field line into the upper deck for an 0-2 one out home run. He finished 2-4, 2 RBI, K, after also being the architect of a bases loaded, one-out single to CF in the 8th.
(Credit to Erasmo Ramirez at this point. He managed 6 innings total, managing to sort out his early issues with a flat-breaking ball. He saved a pretty exhausted 'pen for the Mariners. Kudos.)
* Matt Dominguez was back at 3rd base, and hit home run to right CF (his fourth) that kept cutting away from Abraham Almonte in the 7th. He finished 1-4, HR but 4 LOB. Still, trending in the right direction.
* Alex Presley, 2-4, had a nice night offensively and defensively (with the abovementioned outfield assist and running warning-track grab).
* Altuve 0-4, BB; Springer 0-4, BB, 3K; Krauss 0-3, 3K... 'nuff said.
Turning Point
Erasmo Ramirez's inability to bury an 0-2 slider to Chris Carter (does he not know about his more mild-mannered alter-ego, Kris Karter??) led to a lead the Astros would never relinquish. This resulted in one of those impressive HR swings that Carter seems to bust out 50-odd times per season (I imagine that some of them go foul). He barely looks like he is swinging, yet the ball fangs off his bat like it was launched from a cannon. Then Carter nonchalantly waltzes around the bases with a kind of relaxed, neutral expression on his face. We saw it a bit in 2013. Only seen it once in 2014 - very seductive power.
Carter's HR landed up where Zunino's long strike landed last night, which got some recognition in the blogosphere for it's distance. To wit:
"Zunino just absolutely destroyed a ball that went foul that may have been fair that was challenged and found to be foul after all, possibly. Most watching said it was probably the farthest hit ball to that part of Safeco they had seen."
Well, Carter just hit one there as well. And it looked easy.
Man of the Match
Twelve filthy K's (presented above in detail), first ML win, subbing in at short notice for an injured ace... Collin McHugh busted out a great, slightly unexpected performance. Plaudits.
Goat of the Game.
The RHP's were great. Not so much the LHP. Would have been nice to (i) issue no walks as a team and (ii) shut the evil Mariners out. Raul Valdes has had a rough start to the 2014 ML season.
Please note for those of you out of the MLB.tv blackout zone tomorrow and with a decent inter-web connection, Astros (& brooms) v Mariners, 3:40 ET, Game of the Day.
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