After a disappointing Game 5, Astros head home

Remember 2017? Specifically remember Game 6 of the World Series in 2017? The Astros had torn the Dodgers’ hearts out with an insane win 13-12 in Game 5. They needed a road win behind their ace Justin Verlander to take the series. Sound familiar?

In both that game and Game 5 of the 2019 ALCS they gave Verlander an early 1-0 lead. In both games, the offense shut down and generated no more runs. In both games, Verlander had one inning where he gave up runs and in both games, they lost – 3-1 in 2017 and 4-1 on Friday night.

A big difference is that this time the Astros head home for the next game and in fact that they have two home games to vanquish the enemy.

Going home up 3-2  is not a best-case scenario, but winning 2 of 3 in NYC after getting swept there in 2017 is at least a very good scenario.

The opposing starters for Saturday night’s games have not been announced, but it is likely that all arms are on deck for both teams in Game 6. Will the Yanks start Luis Severino on short rest coming off an injury? Not likely. Will the Astros start Gerrit Cole on short rest when the guy has not lost in forever? Less likely.

Hopefully, the Astros offense will come alive in their home stadium. The Astros have lost when they only scored 0 and 1 runs. They’ve won when they scored 3, 4 and 8 runs. They need a game where the offense leads the way and gives the pitching staff some breathing room like it did in Game 4.

The Astros played hard to the finish line of the regular season in order to earn home-field advantage. Now it’s time to cash in that advantage.

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82 responses to “After a disappointing Game 5, Astros head home”

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  2. Tonight is the real crapshoot. For either team, getting off to a good start, both on the mound and at the plate is essential. I have no idea what will happen. I was really uptight throughout game 4. Every pitch seemed to be important, even when up 6-3. Last night seemed almost inevitable when we finished the first inning down 4-1. I don’t want that to happen tonight and I don’t want to go to a game 7, even with Cole on the mound. I don’t underestimate the Yankees.

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  5. Right now I care more about OP than the Astros. Our team will win tonight 7-3.

    Please someone update us when you can.

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  6. I had a terrible score on a heart CT calcium count on Thursday and then went to a cardiologist. He said I have blockages and set up an angiogram for this coming Thursday.
    After I was up for an hour this mornings I began to have pains and tightness and numbness on my left side. I went to the hospital.
    I didn’t have a heart attack and I didn’t have a stroke. I still have the pain and the tightness and probably have some heart problems that will get worked on in the coming weeks.
    In the meantime, my wife will be having some surgery in the next two weeks to remove a growth that has been causing her tremendous pain for a year.
    I am exhausted,but so consoled by your prayers and blessed to have you as friends. I’m not sure my heart can handle watching tonight but I will keep informed while watching a Hallmark movie and checking the score every once in a while.

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  7. Glad to hear you’re doing better and it wasn’t worse OP. All this other stuff can take a backseat. Hopefully we’ll put these guys away tonight.

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  9. Glad to hear you’re doing better OP & nothing debilitating. We’ll handle the gm stresses for you bro. Go Stro’s 3-0. Tonight let our offense climb Mt. Need Mo (runs) to victory.

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  10. OP….you just gave us the *best news ever*!! Astros are going to be ok, just need for you to be too!
    Thank you Father God for prayers answered🙏🙏

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  13. Unfortunately, I think he’s done for the year. What a shame. We’re averaging 3 outs per pitcher through three. We’re going to need a few more than that from Urquidy. It’s looks more and more like Greinke will be in the mix.

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  14. We can only hope to get some effective, shutout relief from our innings eaters but its looking tough right now. Uquidy has to suck it up & be at his best

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      • I know buddy, that’s why I said the offense needs to climb Mt. Need Mo (runs). This gm is a hard watch with the off stalled thus far & rallies are virtually nonexistent. These games have been & might be decided by whoever catches that mistake over the plate. Praying it’s our guys.

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  16. How many times have we seen the guys get a couple of runs, and then QUIT😠
    I just don’t get it. What happens to our guys?? I had to go take a nerve pill….this game is teetering on disaster.

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  17. What a huge 8 outs by Urquidy and then Harris yet again. Suddenly we’re down to 9 outs. Will someone please give the pen some room?

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  19. Yep, we’re holding the lead and one swing of the bat by the boyz can change the momentum, like Uncle Mike just did. Go Stro’s.

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      • Would really like to see YA swing at some of the grapefruits down the pipe. Almost always takes the 1st pitch then ends up flailing away at pitchers pitches. They say he has a mechanical issue whatever that is.

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  37. Dan, you are right. It would have been too easy if the Yankees went down in the 9th. The pitching picked this team up all series. Fitting to have it end this way. And the difference over 6 games was the defense. 1OP, enjoy the replay tomorrow. Peacefully.

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  43. I have to go to bed, but Jose is a big, beautiful, joyful kid who is an automatic Hall of Farmer. Watching him all the way back from A ball, to struggling with a sub .700 OPS in the majors, to becoming an MVP and a World Series Champ and now maybe the most clutch guy in the game today, well it’s just wonderful to be an Astro baseball fan. I’ve said this before, but my late father loved Jose and my dad was never easy to impress. I’m glad they share the same Birthday.

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  44. I cheated. All night long I watched other stuff and then would flip to the game to get the score and then go away.
    But I missed the Yankees HR, so I decided to watch the bottom of the ninth. I can’t believe they pitched to Altuve with Marisnick on deck. What were they thinking?
    I’m so happy and so tired.
    Tomorrow we all figure out how to play the Nationals.
    Thank you to everyone. You all are so wonderful.

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  46. ACLS notes:
    *In game 6 of the series, the Astros had 6 runs on 6 hits, drew 6 BBs, struck out 6 times, had 6 RBIs and left 6 men on base.
    * I remember talking about how the Astros outplayed their opponents defensively in all three series in the 2017 playoffs. That was repeated in this series, culminating in three straight innings with tremendous, game changing defensive plays in innings 6-8 on Saturday.
    * The double play that the Astros turned in the bottom of the 8th was an incredible play, especially considering how deep Altuve was playing. He was much deeper than double play depth and the timing to put that ball in the perfect spot for Correa to make a 90mph throw to 1B was amazing.
    * The farther away we get from last night’s win, the more people will realize how dramatic Altuve’s home run really was in light of the fact it came off of Aroldis Chapman.
    * Coming into this series, the big reason for any confidence I might have had in the Astros was the fact that the NYY struck out so much and we were the best team in baseball at striking out opponents.
    * The Yankees were a power team and they scored every run of their entire series on home runs, except for Greinke’s bases loaded walk. They never had an RBI on anything less than a home run other than that walk, according to the Fox announcers.

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  47. Watched game same way OP did, back and forth. Wasn’t up to the stress. Billy C.
    predicted win 7-3, very close buddy. Propose Chipalatta/Danalatta dedicate last night’s win to OP.

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  50. After the Lemahieu home run I thought seriously about turning the tube off and going to bed. Glad I didn’t. As Jose said, he was looking for a slider and got what he was looking for. I was watching the replay of Gurriel’s home run and that pitch was way inside. Just some great hitting. And the defense was fantastic along with the pitching. They got outs when they were most needed. Osuna’s pitch was a good pitch but I think Lemahieu was looking for it there. But now it’s on to the WS! Great game Astros!

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