Home runs twice as nice for Springer
HOUSTON — If Sunday turns out to be George Springer’s final game in an Astros uniform at Minute Maid Park, he wrapped things up in appropriate fashion with two home runs, a headfirst slide, a triumphant fist pump and a critical win in the team’s last home game of this short, strange season.
Springer, a free agent-to-be and a foundational piece in the Astros’ renaissance of this decade, hit the 1,999th and 2,000th Astros home runs of the team’s 21-year residence at Minute Maid in Sunday’s game. Combined with a Carlos Correa sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, it was just enough offense for a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks.
The win lifted the Astros to 27-26 entering the regular season’s final week, which commences Monday with a three-game series in Seattle that will help decide the second playoff berth in the American League West. Houston’s magic number to clinch the final spot is three over both the Mariners and Angels.
“You didn’t want to go (to Seattle) and have them thinking they can send us out of town with the lead (for the playoff berth),” manager Dusty Baker said before the Mariners fell four games behind the Astros with their extra-inning loss to the Padres. “It’s a big series. You never thought you’d be saying it, but it’s a big series.”
After closing their home record at 20-8, the Astros had much to celebrate and contemplate as they headed to the airport for an evening flight to Seattle. But among Baker’s long-range thoughts is the fervent hope that Springer will be back in an Astros uniform for the 2021 season.
“I certainly hope we get to the point where (Springer) puts enough pressure on the Astros to sign him,” Baker said. “The guy is a heck of a player, and his best years are ahead of him, and this ballpark is perfect for him.”
Springer’s three-hit day began with a leadoff single, his 11th leadoff hit in the Astros’ last 19 games. In the sixth, he delivered the second inside-the-park home run of his career, and he followed up with an oppositefield solo shot in the seventh.
He now has 79 home runs at Minute Maid, tying him with Craig Biggio for third in that category, but was more concerned with the significance of Sunday’s win than whether he will have an opportunity to hit here again as an Astros player in 2021.
“I’m concerned about now, about the next (road) trip, the next game,” he said. “I will cross that (free agency) bridge when I get to it.”
The Astros struggled against Diamondbacks starter Madison Bumgarner, who entered with an 0-4 record and 8.53 ERA in seven starts but held Houston in check through five innings, allowing two hits with seven strikeouts and retiring 12 of 13 hitters from the second through the fifth.
Astros starter Jose Urquidy, who allowed two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks in six innings, struggled early but was bailed out by double plays in the first two innings.
A third double play, however, produced the Diamondbacks’ first run in the fourth. Pavin Smith led off by dumping a base hit to right, Christian Walker singled to right against the shift, sending Smith to third, and Kole Calhoun walked to load the bases.
With Eduardo Escobar at the plate, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo was ejected by home plate umpire Adam Hamari in a dispute that might have hearkened to some of Hamari’s calls against Bumgarner. Escobar grounded into a 46-3 double play, but Smith scored.
Nick Ahmed followed with a 410-foot home run to left center in the fifth inning to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead before Springer hit two to get the Astros back even.
In the eighth, Diamondbacks reliever Junior Guerra hit Alex Bregman with a pitch and walked Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker surrounding a line drive out by Yuli Gurriel.
Correa, who struck out with the bases loaded to end the sixth, worked the count to 3-2 and sent a line drive to right for a sacrifice fly that decided Houston’s 11th one-run game this month.
“These are the games you have to win,” Baker said.