The Houston Astros used seven pitchers, managed just four hits, and didn’t score until the seventh inning Wednesday afternoon. Somehow, it was enough.
Houston rallied for a 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, taking two of three in the series and improving to 62-60 heading into Thursday’s off day.
The Astros’ unconventional pitching plan began with Bryan King making the first start of his professional career. Manager Joe Espada deployed the left-hander as an opener with three left-handed hitters among the first four spots in San Francisco’s lineup. King retired two of the four batters he faced but walked Willy Adames and Rafael Devers before Espada went to Enyel De Los Santos.
De Los Santos allowed an RBI single to Victor Bericoto that gave San Francisco a 1-0 lead and then walked Drew Gilbert to load the bases before escaping the first inning.
Tatsuya Imai took over in the second and, despite traffic on the bases, delivered three scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and two walks while striking out three, escaping a bases-loaded jam in the second and another threat in the fourth.
From there, Houston’s bullpen shut the Giants down. AJ Blubaugh worked 1 2/3 scoreless innings, Steven Okert followed with 1 1/3, and Bryan Abreu struck out two in a perfect eighth. Josh Hader needed just eight pitches for a perfect ninth, earning his 17th save. The seven Astros pitchers combined to hold San Francisco to one run on five hits.
The problem was finding any offense to support them.
Giants starter Adrian Houser retired the first nine Astros he faced and allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings. Jeremy Peña doubled to begin the fourth and Yordan Alvarez walked, but Isaac Paredes grounded into a double play before Daulton Varsho flew out to end the threat. Nick Allen singled to open the sixth, but another double play ended that inning as well.
Houston finally broke through in the seventh. Alvarez led off with a single, and Paredes followed with a grounder that forced Alvarez at second. Varsho then reached second on an error by left fielder Bericoto, putting runners at second and third with one out. Nelson Velázquez, pinch-hitting for LaMonte Wade Jr., followed with a sacrifice fly to score Paredes and tie the game 1-1.
An inning later, Taylor Trammell provided the Astros’ biggest hit of the afternoon, driving a leadoff triple to right-center. Allen brought him home with a sacrifice fly for a 2-1 lead.
That was all Houston needed. Abreu retired the Giants in order in the eighth, striking out two, and Hader followed with a perfect ninth to close out the series victory.
The Astros finished 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded only two runners, but two sacrifice flies and a pitching plan that looked precarious almost from the moment it began were enough to win the game.
Jose Altuve remained out of the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game with a left foot contusion. Espada said Altuve was still sore and would be evaluated by team doctors after the club returned to Houston. Christian Walker received most of the afternoon off as Houston loaded its lineup with left-handed hitters against Houser, then entered at first base in the seventh inning.
Houston improves to 62-60 and will carry at least a half-game lead in the AL West into Thursday’s off day. The Rangers can pull back within a half-game with a win over the Angels Wednesday night.
The Astros are off Thursday before returning home Friday to open a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners. Peter Lambert will start the opener for Houston, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT at Daikin Park.
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