Witt Jr. takes low. Slider just off the outside corner, called a strike. 1-1. Bounced. Altuve is done for the day, Someone DeGatti? is playing 2nd. Fouled back a knee high fb, 2-2. Slider, down. PONCHE on high cheese!
2 outs.
Phillips pops a fastball to left. Brantley ranges a little to his left, hauls it in.
End 4
5-3 Astros
Garneau
Stubbs
Springer
due
Stepped away for a second and Garneau singled.
Stubbs down 1-2, fouled off. Pitch in the dirt, did he go? Third base ump says yes. 1 out.
Springer with a runner on first WAY up and in breaking ball dings off his shoulder as he lunges out of the way, 2 on, 1 out.
I think Abreu is a stud.
De Goti fouls one straight back off the catcher’s mask, strike 1. Takes a breaking ball right down the middle. Low and out. Fouled off off the outside corner. Hanging breaker right down the middle HAMMERED TO LEFT! GONE!
8-3 Astros
Bregman takes one up, ball 1. Up and out. Swings over a slider, 2-1. Gets a center cut fastball and pops it behind first, P3.
2 outs.
Like an RR Express All-Star game.
Brantley fouls off a slider. Way up and out. Right at the belt fastball, strike 2. Lashed on a line to left, Brantley reached out and slapped an outside fastball, basehit.
Yuli takes a rip at a low fastball, fouled back. Bounced, 1-1. Slapped to 3rd, Witt Jr. makes a nice play and throws out Yuli by a step at first.
Mid 5
8-3 Astros
Viloria (new catcher)
Mejia
Gordon
due
Enoli Paredes in to pitch for the Astros.
Viloria takes 97 on the outer half for strike 1. Up, ball 1. heat at the knees, strike 2. Good slider on the outside corner, swinging K.
1 out.
Mejia heat on the outside corner, strike 1. Again, 0-2. Slider just missed inside at the knees, 1-2. Powder river, good running heater swings and misses for strike 3.
2 outs.
Gordon up, fouls off a fastball. Fouls off another heater, 97. 0-2 count, Slider mades Gordon look awful, half swing down on three pitches. The field mic picked up Gordon saying “WOW!” after he swung and missed.
Paredes strikes out the side.
End 5
8-3 Astros
Correa
Reddick
Garneau
due
Gabe Speier on to pitch against Correa. Way up and out, ball 1. Breaker outside, 2-0. Swings at a pitch outside the zone, roller to 2nd. 4-3.
1 out.
Reddick takes one on the outside corner, strike 1. Strike 2, didn’t see it. Bounced, 2-1. A mile behind a high heater.
2 outs.
Jamie Ritchie hitting for Garneau takes way outside, ball 1. Just low, strike 1. Ripped foul down the LF line, 1-2. Chopper up the middle, Guzman makes a great pick up and spinning throw, gets him by a step.
3 outs.
Mid 6
8-3 Astros
Pratto
Cordero
Starling
due
Pratto strike one on the outside corner. Swings through a heater, 0-2. In the zone but boxed by whoever is catching, 1-2. Bounced. Fouled off. Lashes a slider back up the middle, base hit. Good piece of hitting there.
1 on, nobody out.
Cordero bunts down the 3rd base line, whoever is playing 3rd base no play.
1st and 2nd, no outs.
Starling wild swing on a low and away breaker, 0-1. Strike 2. Ball one, up. Popped on the infield. Toro (playing first) makes the play fighting the sun.
1 out.
Guzman swings over a breaker, takes ball 1, 1-1. Nasty slider on the outside corner, 1-2. Swings over a slider, GREAT pitch.
2 outs.