Astros Surrender without a Fight to Rays, 7-0

The Astros right now are not a team that looks like it belongs anywhere near the playoffs. With four games left in the season, they have lost five of their last six games, and the one win occurred because of an infield hit and three walks in the ninth inning.

In these last six games they have scored a total of 12 runs and have averaged about seven hits per game. The pitchers they have faced range from average to good. They’re no way the Chicago White Sox rotation including the likes of Carlos Rodon, whom they’ll face twice (if they’re lucky), or Lance Lynn.

Right now, the Astros look more likely to lose the next four games and end up in the Wild Card Game than have a shot at Rodon and company.

Oh yeah, they haven’t clinched the Wild Card either.

OK, I exaggerate. Not about losing the rest of the games this season. That looks possible at this rate. But to loose the division the Mariners would have to win out at the same time. Not likely.

But this is horrible.

Tonight the Astros were shutout. Not much else to say except the Rays hit a couple of homers and look like a real playoff team, embarrassing the Stros in their own home.

Luis Garcia went five innings allowing six runs, three earned. Yeah, even the fielding failed the hometown boys tonight. Jose Siri bobbled a fly ball with a 90% catch probability so instead of three outs, the Rays ended up with three runs, highlighted by a Brandon Lowe two-run homer.

Ji Man Choi added a three-run homer off Garcia in the fifth.

One bright spot. Pete Solomon pitched four innings. allowing only one run, although he got some help when Brett Phillips tried to stretch a triple into an inside the park home run.

After getting thrown out at home by a mile, Phillips thought it was hilarious. And why not, when you’re seven runs up on the Astros it really doesn’t matter if you throw away runs and give away free outs.

Of course, come playoffs the Astros might flip a switch.

It could happen.

It could happen.

It could happen.