Astros shake off rust, ride Abreu’s 3-hit night to beat Ohtani

ANAHEIM — About the very last thing the Astros wanted Friday evening was to face Shohei Ohtani of the Angels. It was the primary sport after the All-Star break, which meant the gamers had spent the earlier 4 days unfold out all around the nation and attempting to clear their minds from baseball.

Getting into the field to face Ohtani isn’t precisely a tender touchdown spot for the second half, however the Astros had been as much as the problem towards an Angels workforce that regarded prefer it hadn’t performed collectively in fairly some time. Mauricio Dubon‘s two-run single within the sixth inning snapped a tie and Houston’s bullpen held the Angels to 1 run in 4 2/3 innings in a 7-5 win Friday evening at Angel Stadium.

“The primary one is at all times a tricky one,” Dubón stated. “You got here in after [four] off-days and no one’s seen reside pitching in 5 days and going through top-of-the-line pitchers within the league is form of robust. Guys confirmed up and battled via.”

Listed here are three keys to Friday’s win.

There was most likely a case to be made that Dubón was probably the most beneficial participant of the primary half of the season for the Astros, who’ve been with out injured second baseman Jose Altuve for many of the season and misplaced star slugger Yordan Alvarez for the ultimate 28 video games earlier than the break.

Dubón stepped in for Altuve and has achieved a stable job, together with a 20-game hitting streak earlier this season. He was 0-for-3 towards Ohtani on Friday earlier than delivering a two-run single within the sixth inning off Jacob Webb that put Houston forward 6-4. He got here round to attain on one in all Jose Abreu’s three hits.

“That was big,” Astros supervisor Dusty Baker stated. “With their offense, each run is necessary. That’s why he’s there, that’s what he’s getting paid for, and he’s been developing large for us all 12 months.”

The Astros took benefit of a psychological error by the Angels to arrange the three-run inning. With runners on first and second and no outs, Martín Maldonado popped a sacrifice bunt that dropped in entrance of first baseman Mike Moustakas. Jeremy Peña needed to maintain up for a beat at first base and would have been a simple out at second, which possible would have began a double play. As an alternative, Moustakas simply took the out at first.

“We took benefit of a few errors,” Dubón stated. “The bunt, that was a giant break proper there.”

Abreu’s three-hit evening

Though he swung the bat higher after June 1, Abreu’s first half actually wasn’t as much as his expectations or the expectations of the Astros, who signed him to a three-year, $58.5 million contract. So how can a 3-for-3 evening on the plate with a stroll arrange Abreu for fulfillment within the second half?

“I believe the largest factor is I have to proceed working,” he stated. “I do know what I can do and what I count on of myself. It didn’t occur within the first half as a result of it wasn’t meant to be, however I do know I have to proceed working and be capable to do the job for the second half.”

Abreu singled and walked towards Ohtani earlier than his sixth-inning hit that drove in Dubón to place the Astros forward 7-4. He delivered one other single within the ninth, giving him his third three-hit sport of the season and motive to hope the second half will probably be higher than the primary.

“I haven’t been getting the outcomes I’ve been wanting, however issues want to alter and I’ve to maintain working,” he stated.

Astros nearer Ryan Pressly ended the primary half on a sizzling streak, having thrown 11 consecutive hitless innings in 10 video games since June 18 whereas going 8-for-8 in save possibilities. So when he didn’t precisely really feel like himself from the bullpen within the ninth inning Friday, he thought, “Uh oh.”

It didn’t matter. Pressly struck out all three batters he confronted — Ohtani, Taylor Ward and Mickey Moniak — for his twenty first save of the season.

“The outcomes had been good, however I felt terrible. I’m not even going to sugarcoat it,” he stated. “It’s a kind of stuff you haven’t performed for 4 days and also you attempt to choose up proper the place you left off and it’s arduous to do. You form of must go on the market and belief your protection and Maldy behind the dish … and simply make high quality pitches and attempt to do the very best you’ll be able to. At this time, it was terrible. I hate coming again after the All-Star break. It’s not like I didn’t do something [to stay sharp]. It’s simply a kind of issues.”