Tony Kemp added a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Houston, which won for the eighth time in nine games and gave Hinch his 200th career victory – 89 with the Diamondbacks and 111 with the Astros. He just wants Springer to keep doing what he’s doing for the surging Astros. TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN ArizonaPITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Collin McHugh (4-4, 5.13 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Edwin Escobar (2014: 0-0, 4.50) McHugh struck out a season-high 10 on Wednesday in Baltimore but settled for a no-decision after allowing three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.
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“It’s been a pleasure to watch him continue to try to get better as a hitter”, Hinch said, “despite being one of the top hitters in the league, already”.
Springer is batting.450 (18 of 40) with five home runs and 10 RBIs in the nine games since being moved to the first spot in the Astros’ lineup.
Michael Feliz (4-1) pitched two innings for the win.
The left-hander got off to a strong start with a 1-0 record and 1.96 ERA while making it through at least six innings of his first three outings. Jean Segura hit a run-scoring triple in the eighth inning and Lamb homered in the ninth, but the Diamondbacks were never able to string together much against McHugh.
The Astros still may be near the bottom of the AL West, but they’re making up ground quickly after finishing May 17-12. Like we said: On. Make sure no one gets hurt, that we have guys for tomorrow and when do we take Goldy out of the game to give him some rest.
Arizona had an opportunity to put McCullers on the ropes in the first inning, but left the bases loaded. Diamondbacks third baseman Jake Lamb was just as impressive in the fifth, diving left to snag Correa’s one-hopper and getting up in time to throw him out at first.
“I think there is a level of concern with every part of our game”, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. “It’s stuff we’re working on”.
Corbin labored out of the gate, starting with Springer’s double. That means Arizona could really use a solid, lengthy start from Patrick Corbin on Tuesday afternoon. The Astros made it 6-1 in the 3rd on a double by Castro that scored two (hence the score going from 4-1 to 6-1, math!) And by the way Castro had only three hits against lefties all year before today so yay!
McCullers steadied himself. Corbin did not.
Robbie Ray allowed three runs and six hits with six strikeouts in five innings.
Springer hit the first pitch he saw from Tyler Clippard (2-2) off the facade in left-center for his 13th home run of the season and his first career walkoff shot. The three runs he drove in during the Astros’ just-completed five-game road trip tripled his total over his first 50 plate appearances of the season. “I have to figure out how to attack the zone a little more and just be in the zone and make some better quality pitches”.
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McCullers started having control issues in the fifth inning, walking two and allowing a run to score on a wild pitch before striking out Herrmann with runners on second and third. He struck out seven and walked four. “Our bullpen’s been holding us up and to be able to give them a blow feels good”. But Houston responded with four runs in the second, two in the third and two more in the fourth.
