ON DECK: ASTROS AT ROCKIES
When/where: Tuesday at 7:40 p.m., Wednesday at 2:10 p.m.; Coors Field, Denver.TV/radio: ATTSW; 790 AM, 740 AM on Tuesday, 93.3 FM (Spanish), 1010 AM (Spanish).
Pitchers: Tuesday, RHP Hunter Brown (6-6, 4.12) vs. TBD; Wednesday, RHP Brandon Bielak (4-5, 3.79) vs. LHP Austin Gomber (8-7, 6.19).
Astros (52-42) update: After blowing a six-run lead against the Angels on Saturday, then overcoming a late four-run deficit Sunday, Houston enters this series 3½ games behind Texas in the American League West. … The Astros and Angels totaled 56 runs during a series that saw seven ties and 10 lead changes. There were 32 runs in the seventh inning or later, the most in any three-game series since the Giants and Rockies combined for 33 in 2012. … Kyle Tucker has hit safely in each of his last 14 road games, batting .455 (25-for-55) with an on-base percentage of .523 in those contests. … The Astros swept the Rockies in a two-game series at Minute Maid Park earlier this month.
Rockies (36-58) update: Despite its National League-worst record, Colorado on Sunday topped the Yankees in a way no team ever had in New York’s storied history, overcoming separate multiple-run deficits in the eighth inning or later. Colorado was down 3-1 in the eighth before C.J. Cron hit a grand slam. After tying the game in the ninth, the Yanks took a 7-5 led in the 11th, but the Rockies answered with a two-run homer by Nolan Jones and a walkoff blast by Alan Trejo to prevail 8-7. … Catcher Elias Diaz also had a memorable go-ahead homer last week, hitting a two-run eighth-inning shot that gave the NL a 3-2 victory in the All-Star Game at Seattle. Diaz, who is slashing .269/.324/.423, became the sixth catcher to win All-Star Game MVP honors, joining Brian McCann (2010), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1997), Mike Piazza (1996), Terry Steinbach (1988) and Gary Carter (1984, 1981). … Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (.262/.296/.426) has started in his first 96 MLB games (including nine last year), the longest stretch of consecutive starts without a bench appearance to begin a Rockies career. The previous mark was 69 games by Trevor Story in 2016. … Tovar, 21, has hit safely in 20 of 23 games since June 13, going 27-for-91 (.297) in that span. … Due to an inability to stay healthy, Kris Bryant has been one of the bigger free-agent busts of recent years. The former Cub played only 42 games in his first Colorado season a year ago and has missed 33 this year. In his 61 games this season, the 2016 NL MVP, who signed a seven-year, $182 million deal with the Rockies, is slashing .256/.333/.376 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs.
Steve Schaeffer
My thoughts:
The Rangers are playing like a team that smells a championship and has the bit in their teeth. I say that to emphasize the importance of these two games in Denver for the Astros if they want to insure that they can stay within striking distance of the Rangers. Denver, followed by 4 in Oakland, are teams the Astros have to be able to pretty much sweep. That may sound easy considering the competition, but this is an Astros team that is limping along while it waits for reinforcements to arrive. Let’s hope the Astros come to play with a sense of urgency and take care of their business. Go Stros!
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