Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez throughout an MLB sport between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros at Nice American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 (44) walked again to the dugout after putting out within the seventh inning. After sweeping the Kansas Metropolis Royals in 4 video games final weekend, the Astros head to Cincinnati for a brief street journey, posting a season-high 13 video games above .500 and a six-game lead within the American League West.
However now the Astros (75-65) return to Houston to tackle the Arizona Diamondbacks (79-62) and attempt to regain the momentum they misplaced once they have been swept by the Reds. Friday’s opener of a three-game sequence in opposition to the Diamondbacks kicks off a vital six-game homestand for the Astros, who’re attempting to fend off the Seattle Mariners within the division whereas pursuing the next seed within the postseason. .
“This isn’t the way in which we wished to go,” Astros supervisor Joe Espada mentioned after Thursday’s 1-0 loss that ended a winless street journey. “We have now to place it behind us and prepare for the Diamondbacks.”
The Astros hope All-Star proper fielder Kyle Tucker can return this weekend. He is been sidelined since he fractured his decrease proper leg on June 3, and the Astros desperately want his bat given the inconsistent outfield efficiency in his absence. Within the sequence in opposition to the Reds, Houston went 5-for-23 with runners in scoring place.
“We have had some alternatives in the previous couple of days, and when a workforce provides you a chance like this, you need to benefit from it,” Espada mentioned. “If you play a low-scoring sport, you higher capitalize, and we did not.”
Lefty Flamber Valdez (13-6, 3.11 ERA) will begin Friday for the Astros. Regardless of throwing seven hitless innings in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Royals on August 30, whereas permitting three walks and 7 strikeouts, Valdez didn’t think about the choice to win the 3-2 house sport. Inside. It was his second consecutive sport with no win after eight wins in 10 video games, throughout which Valdez posted a 2.39 ERA.
Valdez made his solely look in opposition to the Diamondbacks on April 13, 2022, when he allowed one run on two hits in three innings of a 3-2 loss. 5 at-bats, three strikeouts. Valdez did not suppose a lot of the choice. He compiled a 13-9 file and a 3.64 ERA in 28 main league begins.
Proper-hander Brandon Pfaadt (9-7, 4.32) is the Diamondbacks’ starter. After limiting the Los Angeles Dodgers to a few runs and two walks on eight hits and 10 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of Sunday’s sport, the Los Angeles Dodgers received 14-3. He improved to 6-1 with a 4.58 ERA in his final 9 begins. The win marked his fifth straight choice, with Pfaadt recording 4 wins in that span regardless of a 5.90 ERA and .808 opponent OPS.
Pfeat will make his first begin in opposition to the Astros. He began in 13 profession video games in opposition to the American League and was 3-5 with a 5.56 ERA.
Though the Diamondbacks misplaced 3-2 to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, the Diamondbacks have received 12 of their final 15 sequence. The Diamondbacks are 40-31 on the street, marking their first season with a street successful proportion above .500 since 1999, when Arizona State went 48-33 on the street.
–Scene-level media
