Joyous day ends on a down note
CLEVELAND — When it was time to leave the clubhouse celebration, shun social media and play baseball, the Astros could not maintain their giddiness over Zack Greinke.
On the same day the Astros acquired another ace, Cleveland crushed three three-run home runs in the first six innings, evaporating any excitement while coasting to a 10-4 win at Progressive Field.
Astros shortstop Carlos Correa began the second inning with a solo home run. An inning later, Yuli Gurriel unloaded the bases with a three-run double, extending his hitting streak to 18 games and giving Houston a one-run lead.
Holding it was a challenge none of Houston’s primary pitchers could accomplish. Starter Jose Urquidy collected only 12 outs and was charged with six runs. Collin McHugh allowed four more in the sixth inning, yielding two home runs while walking another.
Urquidy’s unsavory start sullied what was an otherwise promising previous three weeks. He entered Cleveland on a torrid pace, striking out 15 across 13 innings of two-run ball in his last two outings. The Mexican-born righthander thrives on pitchability and an attacking style. The ability to mix his arsenal is vital. His changeup carried him through those aforementioned two outings.
“Urquidy kind of lived and ultimately caved on the edge a little bit,” Hinch said. “It looked at times like he was working around the strike zone, then he got in the strike zone and they hit a couple pitches.
“Tough to win a game when you give up one threerun homer. You give up a third one and night.”
On Tuesday, command of Urquidy’s changeup was nonexistent. He threw 23. Not one was swung upon and missed. Cleveland whiffed against just two of his 40 secondary pitches, essentially leaving Urquidy with a fastball-only arsenal. Roberto Perez punished a full-count fastball in the second it’s their for a three-run home run, the first of two for the eight-hole hitting catcher.
Urquidy allowed a baserunner in every inning he worked. He did not record an out in the fifth. Leadoff hitter Francisco Lindor lined a double against the shift before Oscar Mercado bunted for a hit. Carlos Santana loomed.
Urquidy fired a first-pitch fastball. Santana took it for a strike. The pitcher sought once more to rediscover the changeup that evaded him the whole outing. He released it and, almost instantly, hung his head.
Santana smacked the subpar secondary pitch into the right field seats, an all-too-familiar sight on a frustrating night.
“There were some good ones, there were some bad ones,” Urquidy said through an interpreter. “I tried to make some adjustments during the game, but I left some pitches over that I didn’t want to.”
The Astros maintained one more shot in the sixth. They chased Cleveland starter Zach Pleasac and loaded the bases for Jose Altuve. Against reliever Nick Goody, Altuve struck out on four pitches, offering a feeble half swing at a 1-2 slider. Goody pumped his fists and exited the mound.
“Still a big day for us,” Hinch said, “just not on the field.”