Houston Astros Haiku Review - May 2019

Twenty more wins in the books, courtesy of May 2019. Commemorate each win with a haiku, courtesy of AdmonkeyTX. Or use a haiku to find peace with the eight losses.

March/April 2019 Haiku Review

Astros at Twins (series preview)

Game 31 5/1/19 (gamethread, recap) Twins 6, Astros 2 - Martin Perez throws eight innings of shutout ball to freeze the Stros. (18-13)

HOU-Ku Haiku #031, Needs a Roof
The frozen tundra
Makes for a seesaw series;
Cold then hot then cold.

Game 32 5/2/19 (gamethread, recap) Twins 8, Astros 2 - Jason Castro drives in 4 as the Twins rout the Astros in the series finale. (18-14)

HOU-Ku Haiku #032, Time for Warmer Weather
I missed this ballgame,
But not much was missed at all.
Mexico beckons.

Astros at Angels (series preview)

Game 33 5/4/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 14, Angels 2 - Bregman launches two of the Astros’ five bombs in Monterrey, Mexico. (19-14)

HOU-Ku Haiku #033, Beisbol del Astros en Monterrey?
Es verdad, cabrón:
Un clima más cálido
Es mejor beisbol.

Game 34 5/5/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 10, Angels 4 - A Bregman grand slam continues the offensive onslaught in Mexico. (20-14)

HOU-Ku Haiku #034, Cinco de Drinko
Cinco de Mayo
Meant shots slammed, but not liquor;
These came from our bats.

Astros at Royals (series preview)

Game 35 5/6/2019 (gamethread, recap) Astros 6, Royals 4- The home run derby continues with Correa, Chrinos and Springer dingers fueling the win. (21-14)

HOU-Ku Haiku #035, Welcome Home
After a road trip,
It feels good to be back home;
Better with a win.

Game 36 5/7/2019 (gamethread, recap) Royals 12, Astros 2 - Whit Merrifield singlehandedly takes the Astros to task going 4 for 5, with a triple, a grand slam, 3 runs, 5 RBI, a steal and two double plays on defense. (21-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #036, Dead Cat Bounce
Eight runs in three pitched.
It started well, but, you know...
Schrödinger’s Slider.

Game 37 5/8/2019 (gamethread, recap) Astros 9, Royals 0 - Astros take the rubber game as Peacock strikes out a career high twelve in seven innings. (22-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #037, That Feels Better
The pitching was on,
And so were the booming bats.
Blowout to Blowout.

Rangers at Astros (series preview)

Game 38 5/9/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 4, Rangers 2 - Josh Reddick makes the catch of the year in the ninth inning, robbing Hunter Pence of a go-ahead 3-run homer (23-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #038, You Know It’s Wet When...
We beat the Rangers,
Nothing too unusual,
Though it rained indoors.

Game 39 5/10/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 3, Rangers 0 - Former MVP Verlander goes seven innings with only 1 hit allowed, but the Astros lose other former MVP Altuve to a hamstring injury. (24-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #039, Silver Boot-ish
Altuve got hurt,
But we rang up some dingers
And dinged the Rangers.

Game 40 5/11/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 11, Rangers 4 - Cole’s twelve strikeouts and a Diaz grand slam provide the foundation for a rout. (25-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #040, 25% Of The Season
I missed the drama
When we were behind early
For fifteen seconds.

Game 41 5/12/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 15, Rangers 5 -Corbin Martin’s Mother’s Day debut was a smashing success, striking out nine for the series sweep. (26-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #041, Mom Wanted the Broom
A Mother’s Day sweep,
But mama wasn’t working.
It was all the ‘Stros.

Astros at Tigers (series preview)

Game 42 5/13/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 8, Tigers 1 - Offense clicks on all cylinders, as four home runs down the Tigers. (27-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #042, Cold-Weather Streaking
A cold-weather game
Where the team looked really good.
Team finding its stride?

Game 43 5/14/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 11, Tigers 4 - An inside-the-park home run by Springer highlights a dominant win. (28-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #043, And Regular ‘Ol Homers, Too
Singles, and doubles,
And triples, oh my, even
Inside the park dings.

Game 44 5/15/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 5, Tigers 1 - Verlander dominates again with just 2 hits over 9 innings. (29-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #044, Bring on Boston
Workman-like fashion,
Chugging along for the sweep,
Twisting Detroit’s tail.

Astros at Red Sox (series preview)

Game 45 5/17/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 3, Red Sox 1 - A two run shot by Springer in the 8th pulls the Astros ahead late for the win. (30-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #045, Fun at Fenway
Cole Train was nasty,
And the 8th was all Astros;
Wonderful combo.

Game 46 5/18/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 7, Red Sox 3 - The Astros win their 10th in a row for the second time this season behind strong relief pitching. (31-15)

HOU-Ku Haiku #046, Are You Not Entertained?
Offense and defense
Made the game entertaining.
Base running drills, next.

Game 47 5/19/19 (gamethread, recap) Red Sox 4, Astros 3 - A dropped pop fly in the sun and wind to Gurriel drives in a run, which proves the difference in the game, ending the Astros win streak. (31-16)

HOU-Ku Haiku #047, A Series, Not a Sweep
The ten game streak ends;
It’s time to start another.
And take pop-up drills.

White Sox at Astros (series preview)

Game 48 5/20/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 3, White Sox 0 - Peacock and the pen strike out 13 combined for the shutout. (32-16)

HOU-Ku Haiku #048, Shutout City
From Sox Red to White,
The team keeps chugging along.
Start another streak.

Game 49 5/21/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 5, White Sox 1 - Verlander takes a no-hitter into the seventh, continuing his dominating May. (33-16)

HOU-Ku Haiku #049, Rocks the Sox
JV dominance,
And an inning of walking,
Gives a good outcome.

Game 50 5/22/19 (gamethread, recap) White Sox 9, Astros 4 - Charlie Tilson’s first career home run in the 6th is a grand slam, putting the game out of reach. (33-17)

HOU-Ku Haiku #050, Can’t Win Them All
Game number 50
Saw the Cole Train jump the tracks,
Which rarely ends well.

Game 51 5/23/19 (gamethread, recap) White Sox 4, Astros 0 - Lucas Giolito is masterful in his first 9-inning complete game shutout. (33-18)

HOU-Ku Haiku #051, Darn the Sox
Corbin crashes out,
And our batting went bye-bye,
Upside: the bullpen.

Red Sox at Astros (series preview)

Game 52 5/24/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 4, Red Sox 3 - The Astros win behind Marisnick’s offense and defense, but lose Springer to injury. (34-18)

HOU-Ku Haiku #052, Springer Springs a Hammy
Wade trims his whiskers,
And mows down the Sox lineup.
Errors helped our cause.

Game 53 5/25/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 4, Red Sox 3 - Osuna blows his first save as an Astro, but gets the win on a Correa walk-off single. (35-18)

HOU-Ku Haiku #053, That’s an Understatement
Series win against
The current World Series champs.
Interesting in 9th.

Game 54 5/26/19 (gamethread, recap) Red Sox 4, Astros 1 - Astros muster only four hits and lose yet another player in Diaz to injury in the loss. (35-19)

HOU-Ku Haiku #054, You Only Have Your Health
Another hammy
And a tough time at the plate
Makes a bad diet.

Cubs at Astros (series preview)

Game 55 5/27/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 6, Cubs 5 - Cole fans 12, and Osuna escapes with the save despite two ninth inning Cubs homers. (36-19)

HOU-Ku Haiku #055, Welcome Jack Mayfield
It started out rough,
Then it got so much better,
Then rough once again.

Game 56 5/28/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 9, Cubs 6 - Two Bregman homers power the Astros to victory with a lineup composed largely of Round Rock callups. (37-19)

HOU-Ku Haiku #056, Welcome Garrett Stubbs
The Round Rock Express
Versus the Chicago Cubs.
I like the chances.

Game 57 5/29/19 (gamethread, recap) Cubs 2, Astros 1 - A scary foul ball line drive injury to a young fan overshadows Kyle Hendricks besting Wade Miley in a pitching duel. (37-20)

HOU-Ku Haiku #057, In Our Thoughts
Won series, lost game,
But bigger than that, we hope
The young fan is fine.

Astros at Athletics (series preview)

Game 58 5/31/19 (gamethread, recap) Astros 3, A’s 2 - Left handed bats Reddick, Kemp and Fisher extra-base hits against the Oakland pen lead to a comeback victory. (38-20)

HOU-Ku Haiku #058, West Coast Games Suck
With a late finish,
Tonight proved our Triple-A’s
Can beat single A’s.

What were your favorite games and memories of this past month? Which were your favorite haikus?

The Astros enter June more injury-riddled, but AdmonkeyTX’s haikus can bring us calm.