The Astros’ six-game winning streak is gone, but the bigger picture still looks a lot healthier than it did a week ago.
Houston left Chicago with a 12-3 loss to the White Sox on Sunday at Rate Field, yet the club still finished 5-1 over its last six games after getting swept by the Orioles coming out of the All-Star break. That turnaround included a sweep of the Marlins and the first two games against the White Sox, and it marked the Astros’ first consecutive series wins since they won five straight in June.
“I think we have reacted very well,” manager Joe Espada said after the defeat. “We got some momentum. Just because we lost this game doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop.”
For a while, it looked like Houston might leave town with another clean sweep and a longer winning streak to show for it. The game was tied at 3 after the top of the sixth, Ronel Blanco had retired eight straight hitters, and Jeremy Peña was lined up to hit in the seventh after already homering twice.
“I feel good at the plate,” Peña said after his second multihomer game this season. “I feel like we’re doing a great job.
The coaches having a great plan going into the game and sticking to that plan. We were doing a good job of making in-game adjustments as well.”
Then the sixth inning turned everything.
Sam Antonacci led off with a double, reaching base for the third time against Blanco, and two batters later Miguel Vargas launched a two-run homer on a pitch well above the zone. Blanco said that pitch is the one that hurts him most.
“That’s the pitch that does the most damage to him,” Blanco said. “Obviously, there he doesn’t reach the ball.
We’re trying to get him to make weak contact or not reach the ball. He was able to make the adjustment, which was bad for me, but we’ll keep improving that.”
Blanco walked the next hitter and then came out of the game, closing a day that started with a two-run homer allowed to Munetaka Murakami, the second batter he faced. After that, he settled in and gave up only one run through the fifth.
Even with the rough finish, Blanco said he felt encouraged by how the ball came out of his hand and by the fact that he was able to work deeper into the game, especially with Houston’s pitching staff in flux.
The Astros needed the help. Friday starter Spencer Arrighetti recorded three outs before an injury sent him to the 15-day injured list, and Saturday starter Hunter Brown delivered his best outing of the season while still forcing Espada to lean on his leverage relievers to protect a 4-1 win. Before Sunday’s finale, Houston optioned Kai-Wei Teng and brought up right-hander Miguel Ullola for a fresh bullpen arm.
“The previous outing was an outing that was kind of short,” Blanco said of his 4 2/3-inning outing against the Marlins on Monday. “This one was a bit longer, and that’s what I think I improved a bit.
I would say this was better. Obviously, the breaking pitches were super good, and all that’s missing is to mix them up more in the game.”
Blanco said the group isn’t treating one loss like a setback that changes the week’s direction.
“The team is trying to do their best,” Blanco said. “Every player, the front office, the staff is trying to do their best to try and go out and win games.
Obviously, we’re doing that much better. I would say we have to keep preparing ourselves [like] we have been, but keep winning games.”
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