It’s do or die.
We’ve seen so many Astros playoff heroics in the last seven years that we feel cheated that yesterday lady luck did not smile on the hometown boys.
Instead of a game winning home run like Yordan hit in Game one of the 2022 ALDS, Jason Heyward’s would-be walk off double was hit one foot too low and ended the game. So instead of our first baseman making the miracle catch to win the game like in the 2022 World Series, it was the other guys’ first baseman saving the game for the other team.
Baseball.
But overall, the Tigers outpitched the Astros and that is why they won, pure and simple. Namely, Tarik Skubal outpitched Framber Valdez. Considering last year’s playoffs, is Valdez a playoff choker? What happened to his vaunted stuff? He was throwing batting practice yesterday. Will this be a pattern for Valdez if the playoffs continue for the Astros? If it is, then the team will probably not go too far.
But unless the pitching, especially the starting pitching of young Hunter Brown, and the Astros offense don’t do better than yesterday, talk of advancing in the playoffs will be a moot point.
Here are the lineups:
Considering that Yordan can’t run, I wonder if he doesn’t belong fifth in the lineup instead of third. If Yordan singles, it probably takes three singles and/or walks to score him. Better for Alvarez to hit behind the on base guys to hit them in rather than him clogging the bases.
Just a thought.
Speaking of on base guys. Did you notice Yainer Diaz working a nine-pitch walk yesterday? That’s some real growth in his approach to hitting.
In general, the Astros didn’t make Skubal work enough. They would have fared better against the Tigers’ bullpen, and that bullpen is relatively fresh for today’s game as well.
Go Stros.
Here is a link to the playoff TV schedule.