Aug 13, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) is congratulated by catcher Victor Caratini (17)) after hitting a house run towards the Tampa Bay Rays within the sixth inning at Tropicana Area. Obligatory Credit score: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports activities The Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays have assistance on the best way, however one of many golf equipment wants it greater than the opposite.
Houston, after recording a 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday, will search a three-game collection sweep on Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Astros used solo homers from Alex Bregman and Jeremy Pena, plus sturdy pitching from Yusei Kikuchi, to extend their American League West result in 1 1/2 video games over the Seattle Mariners and stretch their majors-best lively successful streak to seven video games.
Houston has bashed its method to a 7-1 mark on a nine-game highway journey, with Bregman, Yordan Alvarez and Yainer Diaz main the cost.
Bregman has homered in 4 consecutive video games and is 16-for-37 (.432) with eight RBIs throughout an eight-game hitting streak.
“He is simply discovered his groove, his swing is correct,” Houston supervisor Joe Espada mentioned of Bregman. “He has a stage of confidence he by no means lacks, however proper now he is placing (collectively) some good swings.”
Rays supervisor Kevin Money mentioned after the collection opener that the timing of the Astros’ arrival on Florida’s Gulf Coast was not advantageous.
That performed out once more on Tuesday.
“They went into their final collection (in Boston) and all people obtained scorching,” mentioned Money, whose membership dipped under .500 for the primary time since July 19. “Bregman looks like he is doubled his manufacturing from simply the week that we noticed him, so it was in all probability only a matter of time and we’re catching them at a nasty time.”
Houston won’t want the assistance proper now, however the Area Metropolis membership shall be getting two key items again quickly.
Veteran pitcher Justin Verlander (neck stiffness) and outfielder Kyle Tucker (proper shin contusion) are each near returning and may very well be impactful contributors because the Astros go toe-to-toe with the Mariners for the division title.
A 260-game winner in his stellar profession, Verlander mentioned a private purpose of his is to succeed in 300 profession victories. The 41-year-old made a complete of 1 begin in 2020 and 2021 on account of a number of accidents, together with Tommy John surgical procedure.
The proper-hander will make a ultimate rehab begin for Double-A Corpus Christi on Thursday, after which he’s more likely to rejoin the Astros.
The Rays obtained assistance on Tuesday with the arrival of Junior Caminero, considered one of many sport’s prime few prospects.
Money mentioned third base, beforehand manned by All-Star Isaac Paredes earlier than he was traded to the Chicago Cubs, will now be assigned to the highly effective Caminero.
The 21-year-old Dominican slugger went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts in his 2024 debut on Tuesday. Nonetheless, his lone hit was a blistered 116.3 mph infield single, and he made two diving stops to stop runs on the scorching nook.
“(His protection) was in all probability the spotlight of the sport. Actually encouraging,” Money mentioned of the Santo Domingo native who jumped from Double-A Montgomery to the Rays late final season.
Tampa Bay’s present offense has been held to 2 runs or fewer in eight of the previous 12 video games.
Houston right-hander Ronel Blanco (9-6, 3.02 ERA) is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two profession outings, one begin, vs. Tampa Bay. He misplaced to the Rays on Aug. 3 after giving up two runs on 5 hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Tampa Bay’s Zack Littell (5-8, 4.11 ERA) is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA in two lifetime begins towards the Astros. The proper-hander obtained the perfect of Blanco and Houston on Aug. 3, when he permitted one run on 4 hits in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked one.
–Area Stage Media
