The Astros took their first bite out the big apple on Tuesday Night, and it was a big one. Astros 9 Yankees 7.
Game one of the post-Dana Brown era had a different feel with a much-needed result. Call it desperation, call it sharper focus, patience at the plate, or just unwavering effort in erasing deficits. On this night, the Astros fought, and fought again, often manufacturing runs with two outs.
The scoring began in the Top of the 2nd. Yanier Diaz would take an inside first pitch fastball deep. That would be his 9th home run of the season, and the first of two Diaz would hit on the night.
The following frame, the Astros would increase their lead. Jose Altuve worked some two-out magic with a single, advancing on a passed ball and then came around to score on Dalton Varsho’s single to left. That made things 2-0.
However, in the bottom of the third the Yankees would immediately place runners on the corners for Cody Bellinger, and with one swing he’d launch a 3-run blast to right field. For Ethan Pecko, it was his first allowed career HR in the majors.
The Astros would tie things up at 3-3 in the 5th. Yordan Alvarez would single to center, Paredes would walk and then once again with two outs Daulton Varsho would come through in the clutch with a single to right, scoring Alvarez.
Unfortunately, the tie would be broken in the bottom of the 5th with a Luis Garcia two-run shot that brought home Ben Rice who had reached with a walk. The Garcia homer would chase Pecko from the game. Pecko’s final stat line on his 24th birthday read: IP 4.1 with 5 earned on 5 hits. He’d allow 4 walks, while registering a lone strike out against Austin Wells. Bennett Sousa would come on in relief authoring a bounce back effort, going 1.2 innings, setting down each batter in order.
In the 6th inning, Jeremy Pena would answer and tie things up yet again. Yanier Diaz drew a walk and then Pena would launch his 15th HR of the year to center field. Suddenly, the Astros had new life, an energy surge racing through the dugout.
Steven Okert would come in the 7th, making his 65th appearance on the year. Unfortunately, he’d leave a series of breaking balls high in the zone and the Yankees would seize the lead. Trent Grisham would walk, Ben Rice singled and then a double by Luis Garcia would make it 6-5. Okert’s night was done. Bryan Abreu would close out the 7th.
In the 8th, Yanier Diaz would take advantage of the short porch in left, hitting his second solo shot of the night. That would tie things up 6-6. Pena would then reach on a single and he’d score when Yordan Alvarez dropped a triple into the gap. It would be his first triple of the season and his 91st RBI. Isaac Paredes would single home Yordan, and it was 8-6 heading into the bottom of the 8th.
In the bottom of the 8th, Manager Joe Espada elected to stick with Abreu. He’d promptly give up a double to Spencer Jones, who would come around and score on a single by Jazz Chisholm. Jose Caballero would reach on a single, and then Josh Hader for just the second time this season would be asked to pitch more than one inning.
He was up to the challenge. Hader would record the next four outs and has not allowed a run in his last 15 appearances. Exhale! Astros win. There are now exactly 30 games left in the season. The Astros added an insurance run in the 9th. They’d finish the night with 14 hits and would score in six different innings.
Odds & Ends:
Mike Burrows, who last pitched on July 6th (bounced early by the Nationals), will finally return to the mound Wednesday Night in the Bronx. First pitch set for 6:05pm CDT.
Yankees SS George Lombard Jr. has now committed a throwing error in four straight games.
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