Astros break out for an eighth 9-point run to escape the angels

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By Chandler Rome, Houston Chronicle

published

  • Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his two home races in the eighth inning of a MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, September 22, 2018, in Houston. Photo: Karen Warren, staff photographer / © 2018 Houston Chronicle

    Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his two home races in the eighth inning of a MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, September 22, 2018, in Houston.

    Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his two home races in the eighth inning of a MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park on Saturday, September 22, 2018, in Houston.


    Photo: Karen Warren, staff photographer


Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Photographer

Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his two run home run during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Saturday, September 22, 2018, in Houston.

Houston Astros Jose Altuve (27) celebrates his two run home run during the eighth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Saturday, September 22, 2018, in Houston.



Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Photographer


The most preposterous inning of the Astros’ World Series title defense lasted more than one hour. Fourteen runs were scored between two teams. A pitcher’s duel, a rookie matching a Cy Young candidate inning for inning, was long forgotten.

One bullpen collapse created another.

The Astros, staggered by the continued unraveling of a once-trusted reliever, rallied at the sight of ineptitude from a woebegone Angels team with a lame duck manager and little to play for but its own self esteem.

Against three Angels relievers in the eighth inning, they scored nine times. A 5-1 deficit became a 10-5 win, keeping pace while the Oakland Athletics continue to creep in the American League West race.


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Justin Anderson, the St Pius X graduate in his first major league season, walked Jose Altuve and Marwin Gonzalez to open the inning. Alex Bregman popped out weakly for a first out.

After Bregman’s ball, nine consecutive Astros reached base.

Ty Buttery walked Josh Reddick, too, right after Yuli Gurriel’s RBI single. He’d allowed one run in 15 ⅓ innings as a major league reliever.

With the bases loaded, Buttery permitted consecutive singles to Brian McCann and Evan Gattis. A four-run deficit was pared to one. White, without a bases-loaded hit in his major league career, arrived to face the righthander.

He bounced a ground ball to Taylor Ward. The shortstop corralled the tailor-made double play ball, removed it from his glove and tossed it into right field. Two runs scored and the Astros spilled from the dugout, holding a lead after Hector Rondon’s collapse.

Once a closer who invited confidence amid Ken Giles’ emotional instability, Rondon is a shell of his former self. His September performance is galling, prompting pressing questions of an Astros bullpen which, for weeks, had operated so seamlessly.

Rondon’s September slide reached its nadir. He began the eighth inning of Saturday’s game with a one-run lead.

Joe Smith, handed the mess Rondon constructed, could not save it. Mike Trout obliterated a three-run home run against the sidearmer, scoring the go-ahead run which Rondon placed aboard.

Rondon’s latest combustion leaves wretched numbers. He’s yielded nine earned runs in his last 4 ⅓ innings. He faced three men on Saturday. Two reached base, awakening an otherwise anemic Angels lineup.


Thirteen strikeouts in their first seven innings led the Angels to their bench. They summoned two pinch hitters to face Rondon.

Eric Young, Jr. saw six to coax a leadoff walk. When he stole second base ahead of Brian McCann’s throw, Smith began to warm in the bullpen. Lefthanded hitter Francisco Arcia loomed.

Rondon raced ahead 1-2. The righthander placed a fastball on the outer half. Arcia poked it the other way, inside the left field line for a game-tying double.

It would not last. White’s double play ball was thrown away, allowing the Astros to turn their lineup over.

George Springer shot an RBI single past a drawn-in infield.  Altuve arrived, bringing this insanity to a fitting conclusion.

He got ahead of Blake Parker 2-0. Parker piped a fastball. Altuve offered a mighty hack.

When it left the bat there was no doubt. The baseball landed 429 feet away atop the train tracks. The locomotive, under repair for most of this homestand and rendered immobile, began its slow acceleration across the left field line.

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