The Astros got far more than they could have expected from an improvised pitching plan Friday night. They got considerably less from their offense.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run walk-off homer off Bryan Abreu in the ninth inning, giving Tampa Bay a 3-1 win over Houston and making the Rays the first American League team to clinch a postseason berth in 2026. It was Caminero’s 40th home run of the season.
Houston finished with nine hits to Tampa Bay’s four but managed only one run. The Astros went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded six, repeatedly giving themselves opportunities without turning them into runs.
Pecko Carries the Pitching Plan
Miguel Ullola’s night lasted one inning, as planned. He retired Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Caminero in order on 13 pitches before Bryan King took over in the second.
King worked 1⅓ innings before Ethan Pecko took over with one out in the third. The Astros had deliberately used Ullola and the left-handed King ahead of Pecko to navigate a Rays lineup featuring five consecutive left-handed hitters from the cleanup spot through the No. 8 hitter. Pecko, who had been on turn to start Friday, then proceeded to carry most of the game.
Pecko surrendered the tying run in the fifth when Victor Mesa Jr. homered to right-center, but otherwise kept Tampa Bay quiet. He worked 5⅔ innings, allowing one run on one hit and two walks while striking out four, giving Houston exactly what it needed from the bulk portion of its pitching plan.
One Run From Nine Hits
That fourth-inning run would be all the Astros could muster against Drew Rasmussen and the Rays bullpen.
The Astros had chances to give Pecko another run. Cam Smith singled to begin the fifth, Nick Allen moved him to second, and Jose Altuve reached on a bunt single before stealing second. Jeremy Peña struck out to end the threat. Yainer Diaz added another single in the sixth, but Christian Walker lined out to center.
Another opportunity disappeared in the eighth. Peña singled with one out but was caught stealing before Paredes struck out. In the ninth, Yainer Diaz drew a one-out walk, but Walker lined out and Smith struck out to send the 1-1 game to the bottom of the inning.
Houston was also without Yordan Alvarez, who remained out of the starting lineup after an ankle scare Thursday in Philadelphia. Joe Espada said before the game that Alvarez had gotten some work in and could be available in a big spot, but he never appeared Friday night.
Caminero Ends It
Abreu struck out Yandy Díaz to begin the ninth before Aranda doubled to right. Jonny DeLuca entered as a pinch-runner, bringing Caminero to the plate with the winning run at second.
Caminero ended it there, driving Abreu’s pitch to left-center for the two-run homer and setting off Tampa Bay’s postseason celebration.
For Houston, it was a frustrating loss on a night when the pitching staff held the Rays to four hits. The Astros had more than twice as many hits and received 8⅓ innings of one-run baseball before Caminero’s swing. They simply failed to turn enough of their own traffic into runs.
AL West and What’s Next
Houston entered Friday with a three-game lead over Texas in the AL West. The Rangers are playing the Diamondbacks this weekend, so the result of Friday’s game will determine whether the Astros’ division lead remains at three games heading into Saturday.
The Astros and Rays continue the three-game series Saturday at Tropicana Field. Peter Lambert is scheduled to start for Houston against Ian Seymour, with first pitch at 5:10 p.m. CT.
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