MLB
Chess not checkers: the Houston Astros are in for the long haul
After a turgid start to the 2024 season, the Astros were written off but are showing why they are still, almost unbelievably, in with a shot at the World Series.
On a warm Wednesday night down in St. Petersburg, the Houston Astros found themselves in a bind—a classic nail-biter that left fans on the edge of their seats. The kind of game where two hits seem like a meager offering for a victory, yet that’s precisely how the Astros edged out the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-1, in a thrilling 10-inning affair. You see, that’s been the story of Houston’s season—grinding it out, clawing their way to the top, despite the curveballs life has thrown their way.
Injuries? They’ve had plenty. Slumps? Oh, they’ve had those too. But here they are, leading the American League West, showing everyone what grit looks like. This eighth straight win, all on the road no less, wasn’t just another tally in the W column—it was a vindication of the heart of a team that knows how to win when the going gets tough.
Mauricio Dubón, who had been ice-cold with the bat, found himself in the spotlight. Coming into the 10th inning, he was 0-for-14, but baseball’s a funny game. With the score tied at one, he stepped up and ripped a sharp single right up the middle, bringing home the go-ahead run. Just like that, the drought was over, and so was the game. On the mound, Josh Hader, who’d been cool as a cucumber, closed it out with a perfect bottom half, sealing the win and sending the Astros back to Texas with a successful 8-1 road trip in their pocket.
“A heck of a road trip,” as manager Joe Espada put it, and you can’t argue with him. “We took care of business. We beat some really good teams on the road and we played really well. Close game. Another one-run ballgame. Well-pitched, made plays when we needed to and some big hits when we had to. Big win.”
The Astros have been taking it one game at a time, and it’s paid off. They’re now sitting 10 games over .500 and have stretched their lead to 2 1/2 games in the division. Mauricio Dubón summed it up best, saying, “That’s who we are, just coming out here to try and take it a game at a time and try to win. If we lose, it happens. If not, get on the next one.”
Dubón’s game-winning hit off Garrett Cleavinger was Houston’s first since Jeremy Peña had homered back in the fifth inning. Remarkably, it was the first time since 2017 that the Astros had won a game with just two hits, and it’s the first time they’ve ever done it in extra innings. That’s the kind of stat that makes you appreciate just how special this team is.
Starter Ronel Blanco was superb, giving his team six scoreless innings on just 73 pitches. But baseball can be a cruel game. In the sixth inning, a 106.5 mph comebacker off the bat of Brandon Lowe found Blanco’s index finger. “It was really scary because I saw the ball coming toward my face and thankfully I was able to defend myself,” Blanco said after the game. Fortunately, the X-rays came back negative, and Blanco, despite the soreness, is optimistic about his next start.
When Blanco left, the bullpen picked up the slack. Tayler Scott got out of a jam in the seventh, keeping the Rays off the board, but the Rays did manage to tie it up in the eighth. That set the stage for Hader, who was nothing short of spectacular, retiring all six batters he faced over two innings.
And then, there was Dubón. In a trip that saw him struggle mightily, he came through when it mattered most. It’s those moments that turn slumps into memories, and it’s that kind of resilience that keeps the Astros moving forward, one game at a time. “That’s how you get going, big hits,” Espada said. And big hits, indeed, are what keep the Astros in the hunt for another championship run.