(c) Houston Chronicle
(c) Houston Chronicle
The last time the Astros had made the postseason, they were in a different league and there was no such thing as "wild card play-in". After the 2005 World Series, the Astros suffered a ten-year playoff drought but they were on the doorstep as their third American League season was ending against an interleague opponent.
With an 84-75 record, the Astros still had a shot at the AL West division title as they began the final series of the regular season in Phoenix against the Diamondbacks but they also had a fallback plan with the Wild Card game, a gimmick introduced at the same time as the league switch that sent the Astros away from the National League.
Dallas Keuchel (19-8) was pitching the Friday night opener at Chase Field. The lefthander was hoping to post a league-leading 20th win to burnish his credentials for the Cy Young Award voting. Arizona countered with righthander Rubby de la Rosa (14-8). At 78-81, D-Back fans were hopeful of finishing at .500 for the year. A crowd of 33,218 came to watch.
George Springer reached on a one-out error in the top of the first and advanced to second on a single to right by rookie Carlos Correa. Veteran Colby Rasmus followed with a base hit that scored Springer who beat the tag at the plate.
Slugger Chris Carter smacked a single to left that plated Correa and Rasmus for a 3-0 lead. Keuchel had to feel comfortable with the three-run cushion before taking the mound.
Springer drilled a long homer into the seats above the center field wall to up the margin to 4-0. Rasmus drew a two out walk then scored on a double by Luis Valbuena that was misplayed in left for an error. That pushed the lead to five. In the third, Jose Altuve lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Preston Tucker for a 6-0 advantage.
Arizona put together a rally in the third, cracking three hits off Keuchel. Phil Gosselin scored the first run for the home team after Aaron Hill doubled although Correa's throw home nailed Paul Goldschmidt to end the threat.
Correa drilled his 22nd homer of the year to answer the Arizona run then pinch-hitter Peter O'Brien made it 7-2 with a homer of his own off Keuchel in the fifth.
With Allen Webster on the hill for the Diamondbacks in the sixth, Correa drew a two-out walk then Rasmus connected on a drive off the electronic sign beyond the right field fence for a two-run bomb. Valbuena followed with a career-high 25th homer to practically the same spot in right-center near the stadium swimming pool. It was now 10-2.
Keuchel left with a safe lead after six innings, allowing two runs on six hits and a pair of walks. Manager A.J. Hinch began making substitutions but the offense kept humming. After another sacrifice fly from Altuve, Correa spanked a drive into the left-center gap which kept rolling all the way to the fence. Three runs came home as Correa dashed to third with a triple. Rasmus scored on a wild pitch from Enrique Burgos then Jake Marisnick singled home Valbuena. The seven-run seventh hiked the rout to 17-2.
Arizona's fourth error of the night plated the 18th run and Jonathan Villar doubled to drive in Marwin Gonzalez with the 19th run. That matched the high-water mark for runs in a game by the Houston franchise, matching wins against the Cubs in 1995 and the Pirates in 1999. Reserve infielder Matt Duffy dumped a single to right-center that plated Springer and Villar for the 20th and 21st Houston runs - a new franchise record.
Michael Feliz took over for Houston in the ninth. Protecting an 18-run lead, Feliz was probably told to just throw strikes and get the marathon over with. The Diamondbacks responded with a two runs that elicited enthusiastic cheers from the remaining crowd. By Arizona scoring five runs in the game, the ticket-holders were now entitled to redeem their ducats for free tacos from a local restaurant chain.
Keuchel had his 20th win and was the only American Leaguer to reach that plateau. He indeed won the American League Cy Young Award that November. Correa had the biggest night at the plate with three hits, including a homer and a triple, four runs scored and four RBIs. He would win the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Springer and Rasmus each scored four times as well as Correa.
Postscript: The Astros finished two games behind the Rangers for the West Division title but beat out the Twins for the last wild-card spot then Keuchel beat the Yankees in New York to advance to the Division Series. There, they lost to the Royals who would eventually become World Champions.
The Astros completed the regular season at 86-76, their first winning season since 2008.
 Carlos Correa homers and drives in four. |
 Luis Valbuena smashes his 25th homer. |
PHOENIX (AP) - Dallas Keuchel became the AL's first 20-game winner and the Houston Astros backed him with the highest-scoring game in team history, moving closer to a playoff berth by routing the Arizona Diamondbacks 21-5 Friday night.
The Astros have won five of six and held their one-game edge over the Los Angeles Angels for the second AL wild-card spot. Houston trails West leader Texas by two games with two to play.Keuchel (20-8) gave up two runs on six hits in six innings, becoming the Astros' first 20-game winner since Roy Oswalt went 20-12 in 2005.
The AL wild-card game is scheduled for Tuesday, and the Yankees have already clinched a spot. If Keuchel pitched, it would mark the first time he's worked on three days' rest.
Carlos Correa hit a solo homer and bases-loaded triple. George Springer, Colby Rasmus and Luis Valbuena homered as Houston surpassed its previous high of 19 runs set twice, most recently against Pittsburgh in 1999.
Ruby De La Rosa (14-9) lasted three innings.
Arizona committed a season-worst four errors that led to five unearned runs. The Diamondbacks set a club record for runs allowed, topping the 20 they gave up at Colorado in 2003.
Peter O'Brien, a top Arizona prospect and a September call-up, hit a 471-foot shot into the picnic area in left field off Keuchel for his first big league home run.
Errors by Arizona third baseman Aaron Hill and left fielder Yasmany Tomas cleared the way for five runs in the first two innings. The Astros built a 10-2 lead through six, then entered club-record territory with a seven-run seventh and four-run eighth.
Springer's head-first slide just beat right fielder Socrates Brito's' throw at the plate for a run in the first. Twenty more followed.
Houston improved to 15-3 in interleague games, 7-1 on the road.
PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES
In case of a play-in game for the wild-card berth, Houston would travel to Minnesota if it's the Twins; the Astros would be home if it's the Angels. Houston last made the postseason in 2005.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Collin McHugh (18-7), the second half of Houston's potent 1-2 pitching duo, tries to clinch the Astros at least a tie for the wild-card berth.
Diamondbacks: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (9-11) makes his final start of the season for Arizona.
|
Video:
|
Game Played on Friday, October 2, 2015 (N) at Chase Field HOU A 3 2 1 1 0 3 7 4 0 - 21 19 2 ARI N 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 - 5 11 4 BATTING Houston Astros AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Altuve 2b 4 0 1 2 0 1 4 3 Gonzalez pr,2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Springer rf 7 4 2 1 0 0 3 0 Correa ss 4 4 3 4 1 1 0 4 Villar ss 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Rasmus cf,lf 4 4 2 3 2 0 2 0 Valbuena 3b 4 2 3 2 1 0 0 1 Duffy 3b 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 4 Carter 1b 5 0 1 2 0 3 5 0 Stassi c 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 Tucker lf 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 Marisnick pr,cf 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Castro c 3 1 1 0 2 0 4 1 Thatcher p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Velasquez p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Conger ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Feliz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Keuchel p 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Singleton ph,1b 1 2 0 0 2 0 5 0 Totals 46 21 19 18 8 8 27 14 FIELDING - DP: 2. Altuve, Correa-Altuve-Carter. E: Correa (13), Singleton (1). BATTING - 2B: Valbuena 2 (18,off de la Rosa,off Stites); Altuve (39,off Schugel); Villar (7,off Schugel). 3B: Correa (1,off Stites). HR: Springer (16,2nd inning off de la Rosa 0 on 1 out); Correa (22,4th inning off Collmenter 0 on 0 out); Rasmus (23,6th inning off Webster 1 on 2 out); Valbuena (25,6th inning off Webster 0 on 2 out). SH: Keuchel (1,off de la Rosa). SF: Altuve 2 (6,off de la Rosa,off Stites). IBB: Castro (1,by de la Rosa). Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING - SB: Correa (13,2nd base off Webster/Castillo). Arizona Diamondbacks AB R H RBI BB SO PO A Pollock cf 5 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 Gosselin 2b,lf 3 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 Goldschmidt 1b 3 0 1 0 0 2 6 0 Lamb 1b 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Hill 3b,2b 5 0 3 2 0 0 1 1 Castillo c 5 0 1 1 0 1 8 0 Tomas lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Drury ph,3b 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 Owings ss 3 0 0 0 1 2 0 2 Brito rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 6 0 de la Rosa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Romak ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Collmenter p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 O'Brien ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 Webster p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Stites p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Burgos p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Saltalamacchia ph 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Schugel p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 O. Hernandez ph 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 37 5 11 5 3 7 27 8 FIELDING - E: Hill 2 (6), Tomas (9), Schugel (1). BATTING - 2B: Romak (2,off Keuchel); Hill 2 (18,off Keuchel,off Velasquez); Saltalamacchia (14,off Thatcher); Gosselin (8,off Feliz). HR: O'Brien (1,5th inning off Keuchel 0 on 1 out). HBP: Gosselin (2,by Keuchel). GDP: Drury (5,off Keuchel). Team LOB: 9. PITCHING Houston Astros IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP Keuchel W(20-8) 6 6 2 2 2 3 1 25 Thatcher 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 4 Velasquez 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 5 Feliz 1 3 2 2 1 2 0 7 Totals 9 11 5 4 3 7 1 41 BK: Feliz (1). HBP: Keuchel (2,Gosselin). Arizona Diamondbacks IP H R ER BB SO HR BFP de la Rosa L(14-9) 3 6 6 4 4 4 1 20 Collmenter 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 7 Webster 1 2 3 3 1 1 2 6 Stites 0.1 4 7 5 2 0 0 8 Burgos 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 3 Schugel 2 5 4 3 1 1 0 13 Totals 9 19 21 16 8 8 4 57 WP: Burgos (6). IBB: de la Rosa (3,Castro). Inherited Runners - Scored: Burgos 2-2. . Umpires: HP - Laz Diaz, 1B - Jeff Nelson, 2B - Cory Blaser, 3B - Chris Guccione Official Scorer: Rodney Johnson Replay: force play (6th inning, Aaron Hill at bat, Astros challenge, call upheld) Time of Game: 3:52 Attendance: 33218
Play-by-play
Starting Lineups:
Houston Astros Arizona Diamondbacks
1. Altuve 2b Pollock cf
2. Springer rf Gosselin 2b
3. Correa ss Goldschmidt 1b
4. Rasmus cf Hill 3b
5. Valbuena 3b Castillo c
6. Carter 1b Tomas lf
7. Tucker lf Owings ss
8. Castro c Brito rf
9. Keuchel p de la Rosa p
ASTROS 1ST: Altuve was called out on strikes; Springer reached
on an error by Hill; Correa singled to right [Springer to
second]; Rasmus singled to right [Springer scored (unearned),
Correa to second]; Valbuena walked [Correa to third, Rasmus to
second]; Carter singled to left [Correa scored, Rasmus scored,
Valbuena to second]; Tucker grounded out (second to first)
[Valbuena to third, Carter to second]; Castro was walked
intentionally; Keuchel struck out; 3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.
Astros 3, Diamondbacks 0.
DIAMONDBACKS 1ST: Pollock singled to center; Gosselin flied to
right; Goldschmidt struck out; Hill flied to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0
E, 1 LOB. Astros 3, Diamondbacks 0.
ASTROS 2ND: Altuve grounded out (shortstop to first); Springer
homered; Correa struck out; Rasmus walked; Valbuena doubled to
left [Rasmus scored (error by Tomas) (unearned) (no RBI)];
Carter was called out on strikes; 2 R (1 ER), 2 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 5, Diamondbacks 0.
DIAMONDBACKS 2ND: Castillo grounded out (third to first); DRURY
BATTED FOR TOMAS; Drury grounded out (shortstop to first);
Owings walked; Brito grounded out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 5, Diamondbacks 0.
ASTROS 3RD: GOSSELIN CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); HILL
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING 2B); DRURY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING
3B); Tucker singled to center; Castro walked [Tucker to second];
Keuchel out on a sacrifice bunt (third to second) [Tucker to
third, Castro to second]; Altuve out on a sacrifice fly to right
[Tucker scored]; Springer flied to center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Astros 6, Diamondbacks 0.
DIAMONDBACKS 3RD: ROMAK BATTED FOR DE LA ROSA; Romak doubled to
right; Pollock hit into a double play to second [Romak out at
second (second unassisted)]; Gosselin was hit by a pitch;
Goldschmidt singled to right [Gosselin to second]; Hill doubled
to left [Gosselin scored, Goldschmidt out at home (left to
shortstop to catcher)]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 6,
Diamondbacks 1.
ASTROS 4TH: COLLMENTER REPLACED ROMAK (PITCHING); Correa
homered; Rasmus lined to right; Valbuena grounded out (first
unassisted); Carter flied to right; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 7, Diamondbacks 1.
DIAMONDBACKS 4TH: Castillo singled to center; Drury grounded
into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Castillo out
at second]; Owings struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Astros 7,
Diamondbacks 1.
ASTROS 5TH: Tucker grounded out (third to first); Castro
grounded out (third to first); Keuchel struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 0 LOB. Astros 7, Diamondbacks 1.
DIAMONDBACKS 5TH: Brito grounded out (second to first); when
Socrates Brito was called out at 1B, D-Backs manager Chip Hale
challenged the ruling; the call was upheld by replay;
O'BRIEN BATTED FOR COLLMENTER; O'Brien homered; Pollock flied to
right; Gosselin walked; Goldschmidt struck out; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1
LOB. Astros 7, Diamondbacks 2.
ASTROS 6TH: WEBSTER REPLACED O'BRIEN (PITCHING); Altuve lined to
left; Springer grounded out (shortstop to first); Correa walked;
Correa stole second; Rasmus homered [Correa scored]; Valbuena
homered; Carter was called out on strikes; 3 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Astros 10, Diamondbacks 2.
DIAMONDBACKS 6TH: Hill reached on an error by Correa; when
Aaron Hill was called safe at 1B, Astros manager A.J. Hinch
challenged the ruling; the call was upheld by replay;
Castillo forced Hill (shortstop to second); Drury lined to
center; Owings flied to right; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 10,
Diamondbacks 2.
ASTROS 7TH: LAMB REPLACED GOLDSCHMIDT (PLAYING 1B); STITES
REPLACED WEBSTER (PITCHING); Tucker reached on an error by Hill;
MARISNICK RAN FOR TUCKER; Castro singled to left [Marisnick to
second]; SINGLETON BATTED FOR KEUCHEL; Singleton walked
[Marisnick to third, Castro to second]; Altuve lined out on a
sacrifice fly to right [Marisnick scored (unearned)]; Springer
singled to right [Castro to third, Singleton to second]; Correa
tripled to center [Castro scored, Singleton scored, Springer
scored]; Rasmus walked; Valbuena doubled to center [Correa
scored, Rasmus to third]; BURGOS REPLACED STITES (PITCHING);
Burgos threw a wild pitch [Rasmus scored, Valbuena to third];
Carter struck out; Marisnick singled to center [Valbuena scored
(unearned)]; Castro grounded out (first unassisted); 7 R (5 ER),
5 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 17, Diamondbacks 2.
DIAMONDBACKS 7TH: VILLAR REPLACED CORREA (PLAYING SS); RASMUS
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF); DUFFY REPLACED VALBUENA (PLAYING
3B); THATCHER REPLACED CASTRO (PITCHING); MARISNICK STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING CF); STASSI REPLACED CARTER (PLAYING C );
SINGLETON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Brito struck out;
SALTALAMACCHIA BATTED FOR BURGOS; Saltalamacchia doubled;
Pollock grounded out (third to first); Gosselin grounded out
(second to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Astros 17,
Diamondbacks 2.
ASTROS 8TH: SCHUGEL REPLACED SALTALAMACCHIA (PITCHING);
Singleton walked; Altuve doubled to right [Singleton to third];
GONZALEZ RAN FOR ALTUVE; Springer reached on an error by Schugel
[Singleton scored (no RBI), Gonzalez to third]; Villar doubled
to left [Gonzalez scored, Springer to third]; Rasmus flied to
right; Duffy singled to center [Springer scored (unearned),
Villar scored]; Stassi struck out; Marisnick flied to left; 4 R
(3 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 21, Diamondbacks 2.
DIAMONDBACKS 8TH: GONZALEZ STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B);
VELASQUEZ REPLACED THATCHER (PITCHING); Lamb reached on an error
by Singleton; Hill doubled to right [Lamb to third]; Castillo
grounded out (third to first) [Lamb scored (unearned)]; Drury
grounded out (third to first); Owings struck out; 1 R (0 ER), 1
H, 1 E, 1 LOB. Astros 21, Diamondbacks 3.
ASTROS 9TH: CONGER BATTED FOR VELASQUEZ; Conger singled to
center; Singleton flied to right; Gonzalez singled to left
[Conger to second]; Springer grounded out (second to first)
[Conger to third, Gonzalez to second]; Villar grounded out
(pitcher to first); 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 21,
Diamondbacks 3.
DIAMONDBACKS 9TH: FELIZ REPLACED CONGER (PITCHING); Brito struck
out; O. HERNANDEZ BATTED FOR SCHUGEL; O. Hernandez singled to
right; Pollock grounded out (third to first) [O. Hernandez to
second]; Gosselin doubled to left [O. Hernandez scored]; Feliz
balked [Gosselin to third]; Lamb walked; Hill singled to left
[Gosselin scored, Lamb to second]; Castillo struck out; 2 R, 3
H, 0 E, 2 LOB. Astros 21, Diamondbacks 5.
Final Totals R H E LOB
Astros 21 19 2 9
Diamondbacks 5 11 4 9