December 5, 2018 11:00 PM PST
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros were in a celebratory mood
after helping Charlie Morton get a milestone win.George Springer had four hits
and scored three runs to back Morton in his career-high 15th victory as the
Astros beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 Saturday night.“I think our guys were
genuinely happy for
me [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-cal-ripken-jersey]Cal Ripken
Jersey[/url] ,” said the 34-year-old Morton, who made his fist All-Star
appearance earlier this summer. “The wins — I guess it means a lot to me because
of this group. We’ve been through a lot and it means a lot to me. It was
fun.”Morton (15-3) limited Arizona to two runs and three hits while striking out
seven in six innings. He was perfect through three innings before the
Diamondbacks scored on a sacrifice fly from David Peralta in the fourth to pull
to 2-1.“He’s already entered uncharted waters and he continues to tack onto his
career,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “These last two seasons, he’s been
pushed, he’s been challenged, he’s had to endure a few things, and he’s done his
part by continuing to post and do his routine and be incredibly effective. The
back of the baseball card matters.”After struggling to get hits in a 4-2 loss to
the Diamondbacks the previous night, the Astros managed 12 hits — including 10
singles — and drew seven walks in the bounce-back win. Coupled with Oakland’s
7-5 loss at Tampa Bay, the Astros extended their lead in the AL West to 3 1/2
games over the Athletics with 14 games remaining.Springer, who finished 4 for 5,
said he didn’t have any lingering shoulder discomfort after exiting Friday’s
loss early as a precaution following a diving attempt in the field. Instead, the
Astros’ leadoff hitter had his first four-hit game since May.The Astros put
together a three-run rally in the fourth inning with a string of singles from
Springer, Jose
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Marwin Gonzalez and Yuli Gurriel. Gonzalez’s hit drove in two, and he advanced
to third on Gurriel’s dribbler into right field and came around to score when
the ball went under the glove of right fielder Steven Souza.That chased Zack
Godley (14-10), who gave up five runs and seven hits, while matching a
season-high with six walks in 3 2/3 innings. He lost his third straight start,
failing to make it to the sixth inning for the fifth time in his last six
outings — going 1-4 in that stretch.“I’m at a point where it’s one outing after
another where it’s kind of a snowball effect,” Godley said. “I’ve got to figure
out a way to put a stop to it and put up a clean outing.”Ketel Marte homered off
Morton in the fifth to cut Houston’s lead to 5-2.The Astros answered with
another three-run inning in the sixth, again using exclusively singles from
Springer, Alex Bregman and Gurriel to push the lead to 8-2. Altuve had a two-run
double in the seventh.Eduardo Escobar hit his 22nd homer of the year in the
eighth inning into the right-field upper deck off Chris Devenski to make it
10-3. Marte’s RBI double in the ninth capped the scoring.“We played sloppy
baseball today in a couple of situations,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
“We can’t do that, especially in this environment, this time of the year against
this team. We’ve got to figure that out.”Jose Reddick homered, his 14th, off
Godley in the second inning to get the Astros on the scoreboard
first [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-jim-palmer-jersey]Jim
Palmer Jersey[/url] , and Gurriel made it 2-0 with run-scoring grounder in the
third.The Astros left the bases loaded in the first and third innings and
stranded 10 runners in the game.TRAINER’S ROOMDiamondbacks: Arizona placed RHP
Clay Buchholz (right elbow flexor strain) on the 60-day disabled list. Buchholz,
34, was 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 16 starts for Arizona this season and was a late
scratch from his last scheduled start Thursday in Colorado. RHP Randall Delgado
was recalled from Triple-A Reno.Astros: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm strain)
pitched a bullpen session on Saturday at the Astros’ spring training facility in
Florida, facing one hitter and mixing in all of his pitches, Astros manager A.J.
Hinch said. McCullers, who has been out since Aug. 4, will have a similar
session on Tuesday.BREGMAN’S STREAKBregman went 1 for 2 with a run and two
walks, extending his on-base streak to 41 games, the longest active streak in
the majors and tied for the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.ASTROS
ADD SPEEDOF Myles Straw made his major league debut as a pinch runner in the
seventh after being called up from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday. Straw, 24,
batted .291 with 70 stolen bases across Double-A and Triple-A this season. The
Astros are hopeful that the speedy Straw can be a baserunning threat in the
playoffs. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Jandel
Gustave to the 60-day disabled list.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (14-9,
3.11 ERA) is 7-3 with a 2.75 ERA in his last 11 road starts. In 10 career starts
against
Houston [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-mark-trumbo-jersey]http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-mark-trumbo-jersey[/url] ,
Greinke is 6-2 with a 2.24 ERA.Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (15-9, 2.72 ERA)
will close out Houston’s three-game series against Arizona on Sunday. Verlander
is two strikeouts behind teammate Gerrit Cole (260) for the American League
lead, and just 11 shy of his career high of 269 in 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — San
Francisco Bay Area native Robbie Erlin hopes to treat his family and friends to
his first win at AT&T Park on Tuesday night when he pitches for the San
Diego Padres against the San Francisco Giants.Padres right-hander Bryan Mitchell
came within one out of his first career shutout Monday night in San Diego’s 5-0
win in the series opener.Mitchell was pulled after loading the bases in the
bottom of the ninth on a Brandon Crawford double and two walks. Kirby Yates came
on to strike out pinch-hitter Austin Slater to nail down the Padres’ fifth
shutout of the season.Article continues below ...The win was the Padres’ second
straight over the Giants, who already have clinched the season series with a
10-7 advantage with just two left to play.Erlin (4-7, 4.33), who was born across
the San Francisco Bay in Oakland, hasn’t come close to having Mitchell’s kind of
success at AT&T Park, where he’s gone 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in four
appearances, including two starts.He did beat the Giants last week in San Diego,
allowing three runs in five innings in an 8-4 win. It snapped his four-game
losing streak.Erlin will be opposed by the last man to throw a shutout in San
Francisco, Giants right-hander Chris Stratton (10-10, 4.88).His shutout came two
starts ago in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies, one in which he allowed
just two hits.He then was on the losing end of a matchup with Erlin last
Wednesday in San
Diego [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-chris-tillman-jersey]Chris
Tillman Jersey[/url] , bombed for five runs in the second inning, including two
on a home run by Wil Myers.The Padres’ uprising came immediately following the
offensive highlight of Stratton’s career, a bases-clearing double in the top of
the second off Erlin that had given the Giants a 3-0 lead.Stratton was pulled
after three innings.He’s gone 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA in five games, including four
starts, against the Padres in his career.Stratton didn’t have to deal with Jose
Pirela last week, but probably will in the rematch.The San Diego second baseman
was the offensive star of Monday’s win, recording a home run and two singles.The
homer was his fourth of the season overall and the RBI his eighth against the
Giants this year, the most he’s recorded against any team.He now has 26 hits and
13 RBIs in his career against the Giants, his highest totals against any
opponent.Pirela’s 3-for-4 night made him 12-for-33 (.364) in his last 10
starts.Crawford’s ninth-inning double off Mitchell was the 198th of his career,
allowing him to pass Jack Clark for 13th place in the Giants’ West Coast
history. Teammate Brandon Belt resides one spot higher on the list with
199.Crawford’s hit gave him three doubles, two triples and a home run in 57
at-bats against the Padres this season.He’s gone 6-for-10 in his career against
Erlin with a double and a triple.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros were in a celebratory mood
after helping Charlie Morton get a milestone win.George Springer had four hits
and scored three runs to back Morton in his career-high 15th victory as the
Astros beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-4 Saturday night.“I think our guys were
genuinely happy for
me [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-cal-ripken-jersey]Cal Ripken
Jersey[/url] ,” said the 34-year-old Morton, who made his fist All-Star
appearance earlier this summer. “The wins — I guess it means a lot to me because
of this group. We’ve been through a lot and it means a lot to me. It was
fun.”Morton (15-3) limited Arizona to two runs and three hits while striking out
seven in six innings. He was perfect through three innings before the
Diamondbacks scored on a sacrifice fly from David Peralta in the fourth to pull
to 2-1.“He’s already entered uncharted waters and he continues to tack onto his
career,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. “These last two seasons, he’s been
pushed, he’s been challenged, he’s had to endure a few things, and he’s done his
part by continuing to post and do his routine and be incredibly effective. The
back of the baseball card matters.”After struggling to get hits in a 4-2 loss to
the Diamondbacks the previous night, the Astros managed 12 hits — including 10
singles — and drew seven walks in the bounce-back win. Coupled with Oakland’s
7-5 loss at Tampa Bay, the Astros extended their lead in the AL West to 3 1/2
games over the Athletics with 14 games remaining.Springer, who finished 4 for 5,
said he didn’t have any lingering shoulder discomfort after exiting Friday’s
loss early as a precaution following a diving attempt in the field. Instead, the
Astros’ leadoff hitter had his first four-hit game since May.The Astros put
together a three-run rally in the fourth inning with a string of singles from
Springer, Jose
Altuve [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-dylan-bundy-jersey]http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-dylan-bundy-jersey[/url] ,
Marwin Gonzalez and Yuli Gurriel. Gonzalez’s hit drove in two, and he advanced
to third on Gurriel’s dribbler into right field and came around to score when
the ball went under the glove of right fielder Steven Souza.That chased Zack
Godley (14-10), who gave up five runs and seven hits, while matching a
season-high with six walks in 3 2/3 innings. He lost his third straight start,
failing to make it to the sixth inning for the fifth time in his last six
outings — going 1-4 in that stretch.“I’m at a point where it’s one outing after
another where it’s kind of a snowball effect,” Godley said. “I’ve got to figure
out a way to put a stop to it and put up a clean outing.”Ketel Marte homered off
Morton in the fifth to cut Houston’s lead to 5-2.The Astros answered with
another three-run inning in the sixth, again using exclusively singles from
Springer, Alex Bregman and Gurriel to push the lead to 8-2. Altuve had a two-run
double in the seventh.Eduardo Escobar hit his 22nd homer of the year in the
eighth inning into the right-field upper deck off Chris Devenski to make it
10-3. Marte’s RBI double in the ninth capped the scoring.“We played sloppy
baseball today in a couple of situations,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
“We can’t do that, especially in this environment, this time of the year against
this team. We’ve got to figure that out.”Jose Reddick homered, his 14th, off
Godley in the second inning to get the Astros on the scoreboard
first [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-jim-palmer-jersey]Jim
Palmer Jersey[/url] , and Gurriel made it 2-0 with run-scoring grounder in the
third.The Astros left the bases loaded in the first and third innings and
stranded 10 runners in the game.TRAINER’S ROOMDiamondbacks: Arizona placed RHP
Clay Buchholz (right elbow flexor strain) on the 60-day disabled list. Buchholz,
34, was 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 16 starts for Arizona this season and was a late
scratch from his last scheduled start Thursday in Colorado. RHP Randall Delgado
was recalled from Triple-A Reno.Astros: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm strain)
pitched a bullpen session on Saturday at the Astros’ spring training facility in
Florida, facing one hitter and mixing in all of his pitches, Astros manager A.J.
Hinch said. McCullers, who has been out since Aug. 4, will have a similar
session on Tuesday.BREGMAN’S STREAKBregman went 1 for 2 with a run and two
walks, extending his on-base streak to 41 games, the longest active streak in
the majors and tied for the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.ASTROS
ADD SPEEDOF Myles Straw made his major league debut as a pinch runner in the
seventh after being called up from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday. Straw, 24,
batted .291 with 70 stolen bases across Double-A and Triple-A this season. The
Astros are hopeful that the speedy Straw can be a baserunning threat in the
playoffs. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred RHP Jandel
Gustave to the 60-day disabled list.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (14-9,
3.11 ERA) is 7-3 with a 2.75 ERA in his last 11 road starts. In 10 career starts
against
Houston [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-mark-trumbo-jersey]http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-mark-trumbo-jersey[/url] ,
Greinke is 6-2 with a 2.24 ERA.Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (15-9, 2.72 ERA)
will close out Houston’s three-game series against Arizona on Sunday. Verlander
is two strikeouts behind teammate Gerrit Cole (260) for the American League
lead, and just 11 shy of his career high of 269 in 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — San
Francisco Bay Area native Robbie Erlin hopes to treat his family and friends to
his first win at AT&T Park on Tuesday night when he pitches for the San
Diego Padres against the San Francisco Giants.Padres right-hander Bryan Mitchell
came within one out of his first career shutout Monday night in San Diego’s 5-0
win in the series opener.Mitchell was pulled after loading the bases in the
bottom of the ninth on a Brandon Crawford double and two walks. Kirby Yates came
on to strike out pinch-hitter Austin Slater to nail down the Padres’ fifth
shutout of the season.Article continues below ...The win was the Padres’ second
straight over the Giants, who already have clinched the season series with a
10-7 advantage with just two left to play.Erlin (4-7, 4.33), who was born across
the San Francisco Bay in Oakland, hasn’t come close to having Mitchell’s kind of
success at AT&T Park, where he’s gone 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in four
appearances, including two starts.He did beat the Giants last week in San Diego,
allowing three runs in five innings in an 8-4 win. It snapped his four-game
losing streak.Erlin will be opposed by the last man to throw a shutout in San
Francisco, Giants right-hander Chris Stratton (10-10, 4.88).His shutout came two
starts ago in a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies, one in which he allowed
just two hits.He then was on the losing end of a matchup with Erlin last
Wednesday in San
Diego [url=http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-chris-tillman-jersey]Chris
Tillman Jersey[/url] , bombed for five runs in the second inning, including two
on a home run by Wil Myers.The Padres’ uprising came immediately following the
offensive highlight of Stratton’s career, a bases-clearing double in the top of
the second off Erlin that had given the Giants a 3-0 lead.Stratton was pulled
after three innings.He’s gone 2-3 with a 4.70 ERA in five games, including four
starts, against the Padres in his career.Stratton didn’t have to deal with Jose
Pirela last week, but probably will in the rematch.The San Diego second baseman
was the offensive star of Monday’s win, recording a home run and two singles.The
homer was his fourth of the season overall and the RBI his eighth against the
Giants this year, the most he’s recorded against any team.He now has 26 hits and
13 RBIs in his career against the Giants, his highest totals against any
opponent.Pirela’s 3-for-4 night made him 12-for-33 (.364) in his last 10
starts.Crawford’s ninth-inning double off Mitchell was the 198th of his career,
allowing him to pass Jack Clark for 13th place in the Giants’ West Coast
history. Teammate Brandon Belt resides one spot higher on the list with
199.Crawford’s hit gave him three doubles, two triples and a home run in 57
at-bats against the Padres this season.He’s gone 6-for-10 in his career against
Erlin with a double and a triple.