The Astros got a badly needed day off Monday. What comes next will not be particularly restful.
Houston opens a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, beginning a six-game road trip that will also take the Astros to Tampa Bay.
The Astros enter the series 73-71 with 18 games remaining and a two-game lead over Texas in the AL West. They have won eight of their last 13 games, but dropped two of three to Arizona over the weekend as an offense that has struggled to consistently support an improving pitching staff again became the problem.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is fighting its own September battle. The Phillies beat Atlanta 1-0 Monday to earn a split of their four-game series and improve to 81-63. They remain 4½ games behind the Braves in the NL East.
Neither team has much room for a bad week.
Astros Need to Find More Offense
Houston’s pitching has given the offense plenty of opportunities lately. Turning them into wins has been another matter.
The Astros scored three runs or fewer in eight of the 13 games they played without an off-day before Monday’s break. Sunday was another example: Peter Lambert delivered seven innings against Arizona, but Houston managed only two runs in a 3-2 loss.
Yordan Alvarez supplied one of them with his 38th home run, establishing a new career high while keeping himself in the American League Triple Crown race.
Jose Altuve arrives in Philadelphia with another milestone immediately in front of him. His three-hit game Sunday left him with 2,499 for his career, one away from 2,500.
The Astros will need production beyond Alvarez and Altuve against a Philadelphia pitching staff that becomes considerably tougher as the series progresses.
Houston’s Rotation Faces a Tough Test
Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.18 ERA) gets the opener against Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.55). Wesneski has been part of a rotation that has finally begun to stabilize after injuries and inconsistency forced Houston to use 18 different starters this season.
Wednesday brings the marquee matchup. Hunter Brown (5-3, 3.31) faces Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (16-5, 2.58), who has 207 strikeouts this season.
Houston has not announced a starter for Thursday’s finale. Philadelphia will counter with Zack Wheeler (12-5, 3.23), giving the Astros consecutive games against two of the Phillies’ strongest starters.
Phillies Bring Power—and Momentum
Philadelphia needed only one run to beat Atlanta on Monday.
Kyle Schwarber supplied it with his 43rd home run of the season in the eighth inning, while Jesús Luzardo threw a complete-game shutout with 12 strikeouts. The victory allowed the Phillies to salvage a split of a consequential four-game series against the division-leading Braves.
Schwarber gives Houston’s pitchers an obvious problem in the middle of the Philadelphia lineup. Bryce Harper presents another, giving the Astros little room for mistakes against the heart of the order.
The Phillies are 40-32 at Citizens Bank Park. Houston begins the trip with a 36-33 road record.
Series Schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 8 — 5:40 p.m. CT
Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.18) vs. Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.55)
TV: Space City Home Network; TBS (out-of-market only)
Streaming: SCHN app (subscription required)
Wednesday, Sept. 9 — 5:40 p.m. CT
Hunter Brown (5-3, 3.31) vs. Cristopher Sánchez (16-5, 2.58)
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN app (subscription required)
Thursday, Sept. 10 — 12:05 p.m. CT
Astros TBD vs. Zack Wheeler (12-5, 3.23)
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN app (subscription required)
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