A two-run double by Josh Reddick is the key blow. Houston stands at .500 (23-23) for the season and clinging to the sixth seed in the expanded eight-team playoff hunt.
2020 - Timeline
from This Date in Astros History
Jan 01 - Don Larsen, who pitched a perfect World Series game for the Yankees in 1956, passes away in Idaho at age 90. Larsen was purchsed by Houston in May of 1964 then traded to Baltimore the following April. He went 4-8 with a 2.40 ERA in 31 appearances. For his 14 big league seasons, he compiled an 81-91 record with a 3.78 ERA.
Jan 13 - Major League Baseball hands down its punishment to the Astros for the sign-stealing scandal of 2017. General Manager Jeff Luhnow and Manager A.J. Hinch were suspended a year without pay. The team was fined $5 million and the club forfeited their top two draft picks for 2020 and 2021. After the report was released, owner Jim Crane fired both Luhnow and Hinch. While not active participants in the scandal, the report said both had the responsibility to stop it and that neither did.
Jan 29 - Johnnie "Dusty" Baker is hired as the new manager of the Astros, tasked to lead the team both in defense of their American League title and to navigate the club through restoring their image after a scandal involving sign stealing that brought about the firing of his predecessor A.J. Hinch. The 70-year-old Baker agreed to a one-year contract with a club option for 2021.
Feb 04 - James Click is hired as the new general manager ending a three-week search to replace Jeff Luhnow who had been fired after the Manfred Report was released regarding electronic spying. While having no past experience as a GM, Click has spent the past 14 years with the Tampa Bay Rays, working his way up to Vice President of Baseball Operations.
Feb 22 - People came from all over to harass Astro players in their first spring contest after the sign-stealing scandal emerged during the winter. In an ironic twist, fans had their homemade signs stolen by stadium personnel enforcing a "no signs or banners" policy at the stadium. Some banged on metal seats while others just used lung power to voice their displeasure. The whole event did not last long as the exhibition game was rained out after two innings.
Mar 12 - MLB suspends all spring training games due to an outbreak of a deadly virus. Most other sports also cancel their games. The Commissioner's office announces that regular baseball season, scheduled to start in 14 days, will be delayed at least two weeks. In reality, the regular season won't begin for over four months.
Sep 12 - During the COVID-shortened 60-game season, the Astros are floundering through a 1-8 California road trip when they surprise the Dodgers with five runs in the ninth off Kenley Jansen to post a 7-5 upset. A two-run double by Josh Reddick is the key blow. Houston stands at .500 (23-23) for the season and clinging to the sixth seed in the expanded eight-team playoff hunt.
Sep 30 - Two RBI singles from Kyle Tucker and a solo homer from Carlos Correa pace the Astros to a 3-1 victory in Minnesota, sweeping the Twins in the best-of-three Wild Card round to advance to the A.L.D.S. The day before, Houston scored three in the ninth to take a 4-1 win in the opener. The sub-.500 club (29-31) moves on to face division rival Oakland.
Oct 05 - Carlos Correa homers twice and drives in four while George Springer smacks four hits to lead Houston past Oakland, 10-5, in Game 1 of the A.L.D.S., held in Los Angeles. A four-run outburst with two outs in the sixth flips a 5-3 deficit to a 7-5 lead . Houston's shaky bullpen is a quiet hero, tossing five hitless innings in relief of Lance McCullers.
Oct 08 - Michael Brantley homers twice and Carlos Correa drives in five to pace an 11-6 thrashing of Oakland at Dodger Stadium to complete the A.L.D.S. series victory, three-games-to-one . Houston advances to the LCS for the fourth consecutive year.
Oct 14 - Down 3-0 to Tampa Bay in the A.L.C.S, Houston avoids a sweep with a 4-3 victory played in San Diego. George Springer's two-run homer in the fifth broke a 2-2 tie as Zack Greinke, Cristian Javier and Ryan Pressly held down the Rays.
Oct 15 - Carlos Correa drills a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth over the centerfield fence to cap a 4-3 triumph over Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the A.L.C.S. and stave off elimination for another day . George Springer also homers.
Oct 16 - A four-run fifth propels Houston to a 7-4 victory over Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the A.L.C.S., evening a series that the Astros once trailed 0-3, making them the second team in MLB history to overcome such a deficit in the postseason (following Boston, 2004). Kyle Tucker homers. Ex-Astro Charlie Morton would shut down the Astros in Game 7 the following night in San Diego, ending Houston's surprising postseason run in a 4-2 loss.