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2017 has been a special year for the Houston Astros. At many times, the team has traveled to a foreign land. A foreign land filled with key hits, home runs, and late-game RBIs. A foreign that looked a lifetime away in 2011 when Jeff Luhnow took over.
But now. Now, the Astros are never out of a game. Dallas Keuchel struggles and Jordan Zimmermann was rolling. But the Astros found a way to win.
Josh Reddick cracked a three-run home run in the eighth inning to lift the Astros to a 6-5 win on Friday night at Comerica Park.
The Astros’ started off with a run in the first inning. Jose Altuve opened the hits with a triple and scored on a Josh Reddick sacrifice fly.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the first but Dallas Keuchel worked out of a jam. But Keuchel couldn’t get out of a jam in the second inning. He issued a 3-2 walk to Dixon Machado with two outs. Permanent Astro-Killer Ian Kinsler doubled to put two runners in scoring position, but Nicholas Castellanos smacked a three-run home run.
Reddick got a second sac fly in the third inning after a Derek Fisher single and a Jose Altuve double, Houston trailed 3-2. Keuchel prevented another run scored in the third inning after giving up two two-out hits.
Keuchel would exit the game after three innings and 79 pitches. Miguel Cabrera blasted a solo home run in the fifth inning on the first pitch from Brad Peacock.
Houston trailed 5-3 entering the eighth inning. Bruce Rondon entered the game for Zimmermann and wouldn’t record an out before the Astros took back the lead.
Fisher and Altuve opened the eighth inning with a pair of singles. Reddick took a 1-1 slider deep over the wall in right field for a three-run home run to put the Astros in front.
Ken Giles needed 11 pitches to get his 22nd save and two strikeouts.
Woooooooooooo
Josh Reddick collected five RBIs on Friday and hit his 10th home run. Reddick became the 11th Astro with double-digit home runs, tying the MLB record. The other ten are George Springer (27), Carlos Correa (20), Marwin Gonzalez (19), Jose Altuve (15), Yuli Gurriel (13), Brian McCann (13), Carlos Beltran (12), Jake Marisnick (11), Alex Bregman 10, and Evan Gattis (10).
Breaking the record will be tough as the next two top home run hitters are Nori Aoki and Derek Fisher at 2.
Up coming
RHP Collin McHugh (0-0, 7.71 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, .167 BABIP, 7.20 xFIP) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (4-5, 5.48 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, .347 BABIP, 5.09 xFIP)
Collin McHugh makes his second start in 2017 after starting the year on the DL with “dead arm” since spring training.