DENVER — It was over almost before it started.
Cristian Javier exited in the second inning with shoulder tightness, AJ Blubaugh allowed five runs without recording an out, and the Houston Astros were routed 9-1 by the Colorado Rockies to complete a sweep at Coors Field. Houston has now lost four straight and falls to 6-6 on the season.
The injury news was the dominant story. Javier, who entered the game having already struggled through two difficult starts this season, allowed a run in the first inning and was pulled before the second, departing with shoulder tightness after just 13 pitches. The nature and severity of the injury were not immediately clear, though any shoulder issue for a pitcher less than two years removed from Tommy John surgery warrants concern.
Jake Meyers also left the game in the second inning with back tightness, a concern given that he dealt with back spasms during spring training in February. Brice Matthews entered as a pinch hitter and delivered the Astros’ only run, singling home Isaac Paredes in the second to briefly make it 6-1.
It was small consolation. Blubaugh, summoned to relieve Javier with Colorado already leading 1-0, could not stop the bleeding. The Rockies sent ten men to the plate in the second inning, stringing together a Johnston double, a Doyle bunt single, a Julien two-run single, a Moniak sacrifice fly, a wild pitch, and a Tovar RBI double to turn a one-run game into a 6-1 rout before Blubaugh recorded a single out. He was charged with five earned runs and took the loss.
Enyel De Los Santos, Christian Roa, Kai-Wei Teng, and Bryan Abreu worked the remainder, combining to allow three runs over six innings. De Los Santos surrendered a Hunter Goodman solo homer in the fourth — the only blemish on an otherwise solid extended outing.
Michael Lorenzen was efficient for Colorado, working 5⅔ innings and allowing just one run on seven hits. Zach Agnos finished with 3⅓ scoreless innings for the save.
The Astros went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and managed just eight hits. They head to Seattle for a four-game series against the Mariners beginning Friday, now without Hunter Brown, facing questions about Javier and Meyers, and having lost four consecutive games for the first time this season.
Heading to Daikin Park soon? Check the Astros promotions schedule before your next game.