HOUSTON — After back-to-back walk-off home runs, the Houston Astros are playing their best baseball of the season. The Astros have not had consecutive last at-bat wins since June 28-29, 2007. After sweeping the Los Angeles Angels and winning the first game against the Kansas City Royals, the Astros are on a seven-game winning streak and have won 15 out of their last 18 games.
Yesterday’s 7-6 victory over the Royals was the Astros largest comeback win of the season. Zach Greinke who spent two and a half seasons with Houston (2019-2021), now with the Royals for a second time, will be returning to the mound against Luis Garcia. Grienke’s pitching was a big part of helping the Houston Astros get to the World Series in 2019 and 2021.
Fireworks happened in yesterday’s Fourth of July game. Would there be an encore tonight? Yes, this game featured so much that it was a battle for teams.
The Astros got off to another rocky start against the Royals as Luis Garcia would give up two runs in the first two innings. Royals hitter Whit Merrifield would single into center on the first pitch of the game and steal second on a wild pitch. Bobby Witt, Jr., singled to right field bringing Merrifield home. In the top of the second inning, Royals MJ Melendez homered to left field (391 feet).
In the bottom of the second, the Astros would respond as Alex Bregman doubled to deep left field and Kyle Tucker singled to center field. Yuli Gurriel grounded out to shortshop, Bregman scored, Aledmys Diaz singled to center, advancing Tucker to third. Jake Meyers would hit a sacrifice fly to center, tying the game 2-2.
The Royals would hit back at the Astros top of the third as Andrew Benintendi singled to center field and Witt Jr. homered to left field (428ft), giving the Royals a 4-2 lead.
In the past two games, the Astros have had to comeback from being down by two or more. This time, however, they would capitalize every time the Royals had an answer. The Royals would get a double play off Kyle Tucker’s lineout to second and get Bregman out at first. Yuli Gurriel and Aledmys Diaz would get hits and advance to 2nd and 3rd base. Jake Myers once again came through in clutch mode as he would single to left field, bringing Gurriel in and bring the Astros within one run.
Jeremy Pena homered on the first pitch off Grienke in the bottom of the fifth to center (413ft). Yordan Alvarez singled to right center and then Alex Bregman homered to left field (365ft) to give the Astros their first lead of the game 6-4. Zach Grienke’s night was done after the fifth inning, he tied a season-high allowing ten hits with six runs. Later in the top of the seventh, Royals Kyle Isbel tripled to right field as Kyle Tucker would miss the catch, Nicky Lopez singled bringing Isbel, and the Royals cut the lead to one run, 6-5. Luis Garcia’s night was done as Astros skipper Dusty Baker decided to bring in Hector Nedris to relieve him. Luis Garcia allowed eight hits and five in 6 1/3 innings.
Another close game seemed to be happening the second game in a row until bottom of the seventh. Gurriel walked and Diaz homered to left (381ft), bringing in some insurance runs for the Astros. Astros right-hander relief pitcher Bryan Abreu started the top of eighth and struggled. He hit Royals hitter Vinnie Pasquantino, Hunter Dozier reached on an infield single, and walked Melendez leaving the bases loaded. Abreu would strikeout the next batter but walked Michael A. Taylor to bring in a run to make the score 8-6 Astros.
Dusty Baker decided to bring in right hander reliever Phil Maton to finish the inning off, in which he did thanks Alvarez’s defensive play of the game. Nicky Lopez would line-out to left field, after Yordan made the catch, Dozier tagging to home the throw was made in time get him out at home to keep the 8-6 lead. The night was not over yet for Alvarez as he homered to left (363 ft) for another insurance run for the Astros and MVP chants by the fans started get loud in the ballpark.
The Royals would not give up. In the top of ninth, Astros reliever Rafael Montero came in and gave up a triple to Merrifield to start the inning. Benintendi then grounded out to first, bringing in Merrifield to make it 9-7. Montero would settle in and strike out the next final two batters as the Houston Astros defeated to the Kansas City Royals 9-7, winning the second game of this four-game series.
Astros skipper Dusty Baker now has tied Walter Alston for the ninth most wins by a manager in MLB history with 2,040. The Astros have won their eighth consecutive game and Alex Bregman continues to emerge as he went 3 for 5 with a 2-run home run. Yordan Alvarez continues to make a case for AL MVP as he went 2 for 4 with a solo home run, which is now his 25th home run of the season. Jeremy Pena continues to make a case for Rookie of the Year as he had another home run and scored 1 run in his last 9 of his last 11 games.
Several special guests were in the ballpark tonight as the Houston Rockets 2022 draft first round Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and TyTy Washington would throw out the first pitch in tonight’s game.
Houston’s Christian Javier (6-3, 2.58ERA) will face Royals’ Brad Keller (3-9, 4.24ERA) Wednesday night.
Written by James Leyva
