ASTROS WIN NINTH IN A ROW.
Bullpen bends, does not break; offense provides solid production
ARLINGTON — During a drizzly week in Texas, the Astros started a monsoon of hits.
In two games in Arlington, balls have soared more than 440 feet, ricocheted off the outfield corners, lined through the middle of the field and, even when gobbled up by an infielder, scooted deep enough for runners to beat out throws.
Opponents have looked like they are trying to contain rainfall with a cup. And when they have crept back into games, the Astros have poured it on late.
With a third-inning flurry and a necessary Jose Altuve home run in the ninth, the Astros outscored the Rangers 6-5 on Saturday night for their ninth consecutive win. They have 111 hits during the streak.
Although hot bats produced an insurmountable lead, Astros pitching preserved it by striking out 18 batters, 13 with men on.
Clutch cleanups by Chris Devenski (4-3), who earned the win for his triumphant fifth inning, and Will Harris allowed the Astros to prevail as the first team to 40 wins.
McCullers wild
Uncharacteristic wild pitches, walks and an error by Carlos Correa derailed Lance McCullers’ first start since being named the AL Pitcher of the Month for May. In 41⁄3 innings, he allowed four runs, six hits and struck out eight.
“His command was fading,” manager A.J. Hinch said of taking McCullers out in the fifth. “He got into the game a little rough with his command, then he settled in nicely, and as he got a little tired and a little bit deeper into the fifth inning, it was time for him to go.”
McCullers, who is winless with a 6.26 ERA in five starts against the Rangers, had not thrown a wild pitch through 11 starts. He threw two in the first inning Saturday.
Similar to his last outing against Baltimore, McCullers had the Astros down a score two batters into the game. Shin-Soo Choo singled, advanced on a fastball that reached the backstop and scored on a single by Elvis Andrus, who extended a hitting streak to nine games.
Carlos Beltran, batting from the left side, tied the game in the second inning with his seventh home run. He finished the game 3-for5 with three RBIs.
Four runs on five hits in the third inning would be enough for the Astros to never lose their lead.
George Springer singled to center, Josh Reddick walked and Jose Altuve hit a deep single to center, which loaded the bases. The way center fielder Jared Hoying pursued Altuve’s line drive made Springer hold up for a possible tag opportunity.
Offense unloads
Correa approached the plate 0-for-6 with the bases loaded this season. He pulled his hands in on a 96 mph fastball and ripped it past shortstop Elvis Andrus to plate Springer.
Then, Beltran dropped the head of his bat on an outside breaking ball that zipped on the ground into right field to score Reddick and Altuve.
With Marwin Gonzalez up, Correa scurried home for the fifth run on a wild pitch from Andrew Cashner (2-5), who managed to pitch six innings despite giving up 11 hits.
After McCullers issued a leadoff walk in the fifth, Correa did not catch an easy toss from Altuve that seemed likely to turn a double play.
With two on, Choo hit a fast-sinking ball to shallow center. Springer raced in and made a diving catch.
Andrus plagued the Astros on Saturday. He spoiled Springer’s play with a two-run double to center to make it 5-3.
McCullers issued his second walk of the inning to Nomar Mazara, which put two on for Adrian Beltre. McCullers got two strikes and then missed his targets. The count reached 3-2 on a curveball.
Beltre pulled the next pitch for a single that drove in Andrus and cut the score to 5-4. He is 8-for-19 in his five games since returning from a calf injury.
Hinch lifted McCullers with Mazara and Beltre on base and brought in Devenski.
Devenski steps up
He continues to prove his high-leverage value. He fanned Odor and Jonathan Lucroy to hold a onerun lead. An inning later, Devenski struck out Choo on a changeup to strand a runner on second.
Devenski has held batters to a .200 average with men on base.
Beltran singled in the fifth, advanced to second on a single by Gonzalez, and was the final out as part of an affectionate moment on the base paths. After Alex Bregman grounded to third, Beltran chose not to evade Beltre’s tag. He slowed, opened his arms for an easy tag on his chest and reeled in Beltre, a fellow 20-year veteran and Rangers teammate in 2016, for a hug.
“I have nowhere to go,” Beltran said. “So I wind up giving him a hug for the great career he’s had in baseball.”
In the seventh, Luke Gregerson got one out in an ineffective appearance. He allowed a single and balked for the first time in his career. Another walk that put runners on first and second prompted Hinch to bring in Harris.
“Luke’s gone through a tough stretch,” Hinch said. “It’s always difficult to go out and get him and take him out of a winning game like that, but he’ll bounce back.”
Versatile bullpen
As Devenski had in the fifth, Harris struck out Odor and Lucroy.
“We’ve had a good bullpen here going on two years,” Harris said. “We all bring a different look. What I like about it is the variety that it gives A.J.”
The Astros mustered one hit between the fifth and eighth innings, putting pressure on James Hoyt. He held the Rangers scoreless and struck out two batters.
“Nobody wants to pitch with a 10-run lead,” Hoyt said. “I feel good when the game’s on the line. I have a little more intensity and my stuff ’s a little sharper.”
Altuve added pivotal insurance in the ninth with his eighth home run.
Ken Giles pitched the ninth. He got Choo to ground out, but then Andrus struck again. He walked, stole second without a throw and scored on a single by Beltre.
“You gotta defend 90 feet,” Hinch said.
With two on and two out, the Astros’ four-run lead reduced to one, Giles struck Odor out with a slider to end the game. Giles spun around and pumped his arms in celebration of his 15th save.
The Rangers have lost 10 of 13 games. In that span, they have held an opponent to less than five runs three times.
“You can’t get too greedy with how you win,” Hinch said.