Faced with a sweep at home by one of baseball's underachieving teams and falling even further behind Texas in the AL West, the Houston Astros are aware of the urgency to regroup quickly if they intend to defend their crown in the upcoming postseason of the MLB.
Outfielder Mauricio Dubón expressed that it is discouraging not to be able to secure victories at this moment and suffer a sweep. However, he stressed the importance of leaving that behind and focusing on the next series in Seattle.
He stressed that everyone on the team understands the situation and emphasized the need to stay focused and strive to win baseball games.
Nelson Velazquez's two home runs, along with contributions from Salvador Perez and Matt Duffy, propelled the Kansas City Royals to an early lead on Sunday, ultimately securing a 6-5 victory over the Astros.
The Astros Left Owing
With the loss, Houston trails the Texas Watchmen by 2 1/2 games in the division standings while clinging to a narrow half-game lead over Seattle for the third and final wild card position.
The Astros' struggles extended to their home turf, culminating in a disappointing 39-42 record at Minute Maid Park, marking their first losing season at home since 2014.
Dusty Baker, the manager, expressed his dismay at the situation, stating that it is difficult to accept and that he has little more to say about it.
Meanwhile, Kansas City, with a 54-102 record, is on a hot streak, winning six consecutive games and securing victory in 10 of its last 11. Manager Matt Quatraro attributed the sweep to the remarkable performance of his players, highlighting their excellent pitching against a formidable opponent.
The Royals shot out to a 6-2 lead, taking advantage of four homers off rookie Hunter Brown in just three innings. Although Yordan Alvarez's solo homer cut the deficit to one run in the fifth inning, the defending champions were unable to capitalize further.
Their struggles were exacerbated by a 1-for-10 performance with runners in scoring position, resulting in their fifth loss in six games.
On the other hand, veteran first baseman José Abreu remains optimistic about the Astros' prospects. He stresses that champions always face pressure and is confident that the team understands what it must do to turn things around.
Although the results have not been favorable, Abreu points out that they are aware of the steps needed to improve and that everything starts again tomorrow.
Seth Lugo heads to the mound tonight as we look to secure a series win over the Astros. pic.twitter.com/OYHEw7KMFw
- Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 10, 2024
The Royals Were Superior
Chas McCormick started the eighth inning with a double, fanning a spark of hope for the Astros. However, Carlos Hernandez promptly retired the next two batters, leaving McCormick stranded on base.
In the ninth inning, James McArthur faced a challenge when José Altuve singled with one out. Still, McArthur showed composure, retiring Alex Bregman and Yordan Álvarez to secure his third save of the season.
The game began with Steven Cruz on the mound for the Royals, who gave up three hits and one run in his inning of work. Alec Marsh took over, eventually getting the win after allowing four runs (three clean ones) and striking out six batters in 5 1/3 innings.
Despite their challenging season, the Royals managed to make it five wins out of six games against the Astros.
José Altuve lit up the board for the Astros, opening with a single and later scoring thanks to an RBI single by José Abreu.
However, the Royals quickly responded, tying the game with a solo home run by Velazquez in the second inning. Matt Duffy's home run then gave Kansas City a 3-1 lead.
In a tense second inning, Yainer Diaz and Mauricio Dubon hit back-to-back singles for the Astros, setting the stage for Jeremy Pena's sacrifice bunt. Houston cut the deficit to 3-2 when Diaz scored on a grounder by Altuve.
Kansas City extended its lead in the third inning, with Salvador Perez launching a high shot to left field, bringing two runs to the plate. Shortly after, Velazquez connected for his second home run of the game, extending the Royals' lead to 6-2.
In the midst of the Astros' comeback attempt in the third inning, Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez reached base, followed by a walk to Jose Abreu. McCormick's forced roller brought in a run, cutting the deficit to 6-3.
Despite their efforts, the Astros managed to add one more run in the inning, with Tucker scoring on a grounder by Diaz, before Dubon connected on a grounder to end the inning.
