Astros 10, Mariners 0: Correa Night A Rousing Success, Astros End Skid

What Happened

I'll tell you what didn't happen.  The Astros didn't lose.  They also didn't have any problem scoring runs.  In the series in Chicago they put up a total of four runs.  Tonight they scored eight in the first inning, chasing Mariners starter Felix Hernandez after nine batters in 1/3 of an inning.  On the surface it seemed like it was going to be tough to break this seven game slide.  Hernandez, perennial All-Star, was going for his league-leading 10th win against Brett Oberholtzer, who had pitched a total of about 12 innings trying to work his way back into the rotation.

Allow me to tell you about the glorious inning.  Jose Altuve, back in the leadoff spot, started the game with an infield single, and Preston Tucker followed with a walk.  George Springer got his 6th hit in a row, a double down the right field line, to get Altuve home.  Evan Gattis then chopped a ball that Hernandez backhanded.  He made a poor throw home which allowed Tucker and Springer to score.  After a Colby Rasmus walk, Luis Valbuena hit a non-solo home run to make the score 6-0.  Chris Carter followed with a single to keep the inning going, followed by a 2-run shot to the Crawford Boxes for Jason Castro to run the score to 8-0.

The Astros would tack on two more runs in the game, both on solo home runs.  First the man of the evening, Carlos Correa, hit his first MMP homer in his first MMP game in the second inning.  Then in the fifth, Chris Carter hit the train again in deep center field for the 10th run of the game.

Lost in the offensive explosion and the excitement of Correa Night is the awesome game Oberholtzer pitched tonight.  He has been either injured or ineffective so far this season, but tonight he pulled it all together.  Obie ended up scattering 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out five in 8 innings.  He did it in an efficient 108 pitches also.  Joe Thatcher came in and got the not-save by pitching a scoreless 9th inning.

The one downer for the evening was that Altuve pulled up limping after trying to run out another infield hit in the first inning.  The team says he has a hamstring issue and is day-to-day, but definitely will not play tomorrow.  Let's all hope it isn't something serious.

So the 7-game skid is over and it's time to start a streak in the other direction.  These two teams meet again tomorrow afternoon at 3 pm, as the Altuve-less Astros will send Collin McHugh to the mound to face Mike Montgomery of the Mariners.

Fun Facts

The last time the Astros scored at least 8 runs in the 1st inning of a game was July 10, 2003 against the Reds.  They scored 9 in the 1st that day.

Every player in the starting lineup had a hit.  Every player that batted today had a hit except one.

Last month King Felix gave up 8 earned runs total.  The Astros equaled that in 9 batters tonight.

Luis Valbuena made up for an early error by robbing Nelson Cruz of extra bases on a hit down the line.

Tweets of the Night

This is how you get attendance up...keep calling up super-prospects before homestands.

Tonight's attendance 32,173 is second largest crowd at MMP of season #AstrosWin

— Astros Radio (@HOUAstrosRadio) June 13, 2015

I would tell that story at every occasion...

*its 2045, I sit my 33-year old daughter on my knee* Did I tell you about when I saw Felix Hernandez get one out? Ugh, yes

— Thickie Don (@AstrosCounty) June 13, 2015

And he was one of the more effective guys to take the ball for the M's...

Jesus Sucre, catcher, is pitching for the Mariners. His first career pitching appearance...

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 13, 2015