HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Astros will wrap up their current, 6-game road trip tonight in St. Petersburg with the finale of this 3-game series vs. the Rays at Tropicana Field…RHP Hunter Brown (2-0) will start for the Astros vs. Rays RHP Calvin Faucher (0-0).
VS THE RAYS: A win tonight would give the Astros 6 consecutive series wins vs. the Rays, dating back to 8/27/2019…since that date, HOU is 12-5 overall vs. TB (incl. the current series)…additionally, the Astros have won 7 of their last 9 overall vs. TB and 6 of their last 8 games at Tropicana Field.
LAST NIGHT’S RECAP: The Astros blanked the Rays last night, 5-0…RHP Luis Garcia was outstanding for the 2nd straight outing, allowing just 3 hits over 6.0 scoreless innings while punching out 7…HOU tallied all 5 runs in the game in the 5th inning on 6 hits…several Astros had multi-hit games, including Jeremy Pena (2×4, RBI), Kyle Tucker (2×5, RBI) and Corey Julks (2×4, RBI)…Mauricio Dubon also went 2×5 to extend
his career-long hit streak to 19 games.
ABOUT LUIS: Over his last two starts, RHP Luis Garcia has not allowed a run, going 2-0 while allowing just 5 hits and striking out 16 in 13.0 innings pitched…opponents are just 5×43 (.116) vs. him in that span (0.62 WHIP)…in his last 3 starts vs. TB, Garcia is 3-0 with an 0.53 ERA (1ER/17IP), allowing just 8 hits in 17.0 IP (.138 opp. BA).
SWEEPSTAKES: The Astros 3-game sweep of the Braves over the weekend in ATL was their 1st series sweep of the season and their 1st since taking a 3-game set over the Rays at Tropicana Field, 9/19-21 of 2022…it was the Astros 1st sweep of 3 games or more vs. the Braves since 6/2-4 of 1995 at Fulton County Stadium…Late Surges: The Astros outscored the Braves, 9-0, from the 8th inning on in the three wins (all come-from-behind).
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight is the finale (4-1 thus far) of a 6-game road trip in which the Astros visited two first-place opponents in ATL (16-8) and TB (20-4), who have a combined record of 36-12 (.750)…HOU is 7-4 overall on the road thus far in 2023…
ROAD SUCCESS: The Astros were an AL-best 51-30 (.630) on the road last season and are 102-71 (.590) on the road since the start of the 2021 season, which also is tops in the AL.
VS. THE BEST: The Astros are 10-7 this season vs. clubs that are at .500 or above, which continues a trend of recent years…in 2022, the Astros were an AL-best 42-27 (.609) vs. opponents that were .500 or better and were 35-20 (.636) in the regular season vs. opponents that qualified for the playoffs…additionally in 2022, HOU ended up with an 11-2 (.846) mark in the 2022 postseason (3-0 vs. SEA, 4-0 vs. NYY, 4-2 vs. PHI).
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 5 of their last 6 games, 6 of 8 and 10 of their last 15 games, all vs. clubs with above-.500 records.
THE FIRST-PLACE CLUB: From April 7-26, 5 of the 6 clubs that the Astros have played are currently in first place in their respective divisions…those 6 clubs have a combined record of 95-48 (.664)…HOU is 10-7 (.588) in that stretch thus far with 1 game to play…the 1st place clubs that they have faced are are MIN, PIT, TEX, ATL and TB…TOR is not in 1st place, but are 15-9 (.625) on the season.
ABOUT THE TRIP: The Astros bullpen has been strong on the road trip, combining for a 1.02 ERA (2 ER/17.2IP)…the pen has been scoreless in 4 of the 5 games on the trip thus far…offensively, Jake Meyers (.471, 8×17), Corey Julks (.438, 7×16), Mauricio Dubon (.348, 8×23) and Yordan Alvarez(2 HR, 6 RBI in 3g) have been the leading hitters on the trip.
STREAKER: Mauricio Dubón’s two doubles last night extended his career-long hitting streak to 19 games, which is the longest hit streak in the Majors in 2023…his hit streak is tied for the longest in franchise history before May 1 and is the the longest by an Astro since Michael Brantley’s 19g streak in 2019, and the longest by an Astros 2nd baseman since Jose Altuve’s 19g streak in 2017…the last Astro with a longer streak was Hunter Pence with a 23-gamer in 2011…Dubon is 28×82 (.341) during the streak with just 7 strikeouts…he has made all 20 of his starts at 2nd base this season while filling in for the injured 2B Jose Altuve.
Longest Astros Hit Streaks – Before May 1 (source: Elias)
T1. Bob Watson – 19 games (4/9-27/1973)
T1. Mauricio Dubon – 19 games (4/2-current)
T3. Craig Biggio – 16 games (4/5-26/2000)
T3. Billy Hatcher – 16 games (4/6-23/1987)
UNDER THE RADAR: RHP Phil Maton and RHP Bryan Abreu have been outstanding in the early going this season…Maton has allowed just 2 hits and no runs in his first 10 appearances (11.2 IP) with 13 K’s…opponents are just 2×37 (.054) vs. him (RHH are 0x16, LHH are 2×21)…Abreu has tallied 19 K’s in his 12.1 IP while allowing just one run for an 0.73 ERA, and also posting a .128 opponent’s batting average (5×39).
BRANTLEY UPDATE: Michael Brantley was 1×4 with 2 RBI at Reno last night in what was the 2nd game of his rehab assignment with Triple A Sugar Land…he is 2×5 with 2 RBI thus far…Brantley has been on the IL since the start of the season recovering from right shoulder surgery.
CLEAN GETAWAYS: Entering tonight, the Astros have won 16 consecutive ‘getaway day’ games, dating back to last season…their last loss on a getaway day was on 8/7/22 at CLE (1-0 loss)…’getaway day’ is defined as the final game before traveling after a homestand or during/after a road trip.
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP HUNTER BROWN
LAST START – 4/21 AT ATL: surrendered 4 runs on 7 hits with 2 walks and a career-high-tying 7 strikeouts in 4.2 innings…allowed all 4 of his runs in the first inning, going on to toss 3.2 scoreless inning to finish his outing…Houston went on to win the game 6-4 after Yordan Alvarez smacked a go-ahead 2-run home run off LHP A.J. Minter with 2 outs in the 9th inning.
HISTORIC START: his 2.06 career ERA is the 2nd-lowest in Astros history through a pitcher’s first 11 career appearances (min. 35 IP) behind only Jarred Cosart (1.95) .
LEAGUE LEADERBOARD: among AL rookies, he ranks T-1st in wins (2), 1st in ERA (3.09), 1st in opponent batting average (.233) and 1st in WHIP (1.20). (min 23 IP). VS. THE RAYS: is making his 3rd career appearance (1st start) against the Tampa Bay Rays.
• in his previous two appearances, he’s tossed 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing 3 hits, 1 walk and striking out 5.
ABOUT BROWN: rookie right-hander entered the season as the top prospect in the Astros system and one of the top pitching prospects in baseball…was ranked as the No. 28 prospect in baseball in Baseball America’s preseason top 100 rankings…was also rated as the No. 8 RHP prospect in MLB Pipeline’s preseason positional prospect rankings.
• selected by the Astros in the 4th round of the 2019 MLB First-Year Player Draft from Wayne State University.
• was a fast-riser through Astros minor league system, reaching Triple A in his first full minor league season following the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season…owns a career 3.40 ERA (87ER/230.0IP) through 59 career minor league appearances (39 starts)…averaged 11.7 strikeouts-per-nine-innings throughout his minor league career…ranked 9th of all minor league pitchers between the ‘21-22 seasons with 11.56 strikeouts-per-nine-innings
TAMPA BAY RAYS NOTES:
CAN’T WIN ‘EM ALL — The Rays suffered their first home defeat and first shutout loss of 2023 in a 5-0 setback against Houston on Tuesday at Tropicana Field, snapping a 14-game home winning streak to open the season…the Astros plated all five of their runs in the fifth inning and held Tampa Bay to five hits…Rays starter RHP Drew Rasmussen (4.2IP, 9H, 5ER, 2BB, 5SO) opened the game with 4.0 scoreless frames before surrendering hits to six of the final seven batters he faced.
Despite the loss, the Rays are still one of just 14 teams since 1901 to win 20 of their first 24 games, including the first since the 2003 New York Yankees (20-4)…only four clubs since 1901 have opened the season with more wins in their first 24 games: the 1907 New York Giants (21-3), 1911 Detroit Tigers (21-3), 1946 Boston Red Sox (21-3) and 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers (22-2).
RECENT TRANSACTIONS — Prior to tonight’s game, the Rays selected the contract of RHP Zack Burdi from Triple-A Durham and designated RHP Heath Hembree for assignment.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE — Prior to yesterday’s loss, Tampa Bay won 14 straight home games to open the season, the longest home winning streak in franchise history and longest to start a season by any club in the modern era (since 1900)…in all of MLB history, the Rays matched the 1885 Chicago White Stockings for the fourth-longest home winning streak to open a season, trailing only the 1880 White Stockings (21G), 1886 Detroit Wolverines (18G) and 1884 St. Louis Maroons (16G), per Elias.
The 14-game home winning streak was the longest in the majors since the New York Yankees’ 15-game run from 5/24-6/23, 2022…since 2012, only the 2022 Yankees and 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers (15G, 8/30-10/3, 2021) have strung together longer streaks within a single season.
The Rays lead the majors in several categories at home, including runs scored (157), fewest runs allowed (69), hits (137), home runs (29), OPS (.895), ERA (2.58), opponents’ batting average (.181), opponents’ OPS (.551) and WHIP (0.91).
GOING, GOING. GONE — The Rays have hit a major league-best 48 home runs, third most through a team’s first 24 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901) behind the 2000 St. Louis Cardinals and 2019 Seattle Mariners (52HR each)…the Rays homered in each of their first 22 games, the longest streak to open a season in MLB history…marked the longest home run streak at any point in a single season since the 2019 Houston Astros (25G, 9/1-29, 2019).
The Rays homered in 23 straight games overall from 10/5/22-4/23/23, the longest streak in franchise history, surpassing a 21-game run from 9/20/15-4/12/16.
Tampa Bay has an MLB-best 12 players with multiple homers, ahead of San Francisco and St. Louis (10 each)…the Rays are tied with Atlanta for the most players with at least five homers (4).
THE RANDY MAN CAN — Randy Arozarena has amassed 24 RBI, tied for third most in MLB behind TEX Adolis García (28) and HOU Yordan Alvarez (27)…ties the third most RBI by any player through Tampa Bay’s first 24 games in club history, trailing only Carlos Peña (25RBI) and Evan Longoria (28RBI) in 2009.
Arozarena ranks among qualified MLB outfielders in hits (T2nd, 31), multi-hit games (T2nd, 9), batting average (4th, .348), total bases (T4th, 52), OPS (5th, .996) fWAR (6th, 1.3) and homers (T9th, 5).
GOING STREAKING — Harold Ramírez owns a 10-game hitting streak, slashing .447/.512/.737 (17-for-38) with six extra-base hits and 7 RBI in that stretch…since the streak began on 4/12, he ranks among MLB leaders (min. 40PA) in on-base pct. (1st), average (2nd) and OPS (5th, 1.248)…it matches DET Javier Baez for the second-longest active streak in MLB behind HOU Mauricio Dubón (18G).
Christian Bethancourt is riding an eight-game hitting streak, batting .400 (12-for-30) with three doubles, 3 HR and 8 RBI in that stretch.
Yandy Díaz has hit safely in seven straight games, producing a .448/.484/.690 (13-for-29) clip with five multi-hit games, 2 HR and 6 RBI in that span…he is tied with LAA Mike Trout for the major league lead in hits (13) since the streak began on 4/18.
STARTING FROM THE BOTTOM — Tampa Bay’s 7-8-9 hitters rank among the AL’s best in hits (T1st, 67), batting average (2nd, .261), SLG (2nd, .451), OPS (2nd, .775), homers (2nd, 11) and OBP (6th, .324)…in 2022, the bottom three spots in the Rays order slashed .197/.254/.305 (216-for-1,666), recording the fewest hits and sixth-lowest OPS (.607) in the majors.
NO TIME TO LOSE — The Rays have scored 67 of their 157 (42.7%) runs in innings 1-3, outscoring opponents, 67-23 (+44) in those frames…the Rays have held a lead after three innings in 14 of their 24 games this season, winning all 14…Tampa Bay has posted a 19-1 record when leading or tied after three innings, compared to 1-3 when trailing.
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK — The Rays lead the majors in runs scored (157) while surrendering the fewest runs (69)…Tampa Bay’s +88 run differential is the third best mark through the first 24 games of a season in MLB history (since 1901), trailing the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates (+92) and 1905 New York Giants (+90)…the current record since 1901 through 24 games is +97, held by the 1902 Pirates.
Tampa Bay’s 157 runs scored are its most through 24 games in club history, ahead of the 2010 Rays (146R)…marks the most runs scored by any team through 24 games since the 2003 New York Yankees (163R)…the Rays 69 runs allowed are their fewest through 24 games in franchise history, ahead of the 2016 club (77R).
ON THE MOUND — Tampa Bay’s 2.82 ERA is the best mark in the majors, ahead of New York-AL (3.27)…this includes the second-best starter ERA (2.62) behind Minnesota (2.62) and second-best bullpen ERA (2.66) behind New York-AL (2.61)…Rays pitchers pace the majors in opponents’ OPS (.579), opponents’ average (.197), HR/9.0IP (0.59), fewest pitches per IP (15.57) and WHIP (1.06) while trailing only Chicago-NL (86.7 mph) in lowest average exit velocity (87.3 mph).
IN THE BOX — Rays hitters lead MLB in batting average (.282), OPS (.878), OBP (.355), SLG (.526), extra-base hits (98) and total bases (428)…the Rays offense has produced the majors’ lowest ground ball rate (38.1%) and the fifth-highest fly ball rate (28.8%).
OUT OF THIS WORLD — The Rays host the Astros in a rubber game tonight at Tropicana Field…a victory tonight would secure Tampa Bay’s first series win over Houston since 3/28-31, 2019, snapping a stretch of five straight series losses…the Rays have dropped three of four, seven of nine, 10 of 14, and 12 of their last 17 matchups with the Astros.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP CALVIN FAUCHER (0-0, 5.91)
CALLING ON CALVIN — Faucher takes the mound for his third consecutive start after making 26 relief appearances to begin his major league career…
will mark his second career start at home…in seven career starts in the minor leagues, Faucher went 0-1 with a 4.05 ERA (13.1IP, 6ER).
NEXT MAN UP — Made his first career start on 4/15 at Toronto, yielding one run on two hits and a walk while striking out a pair in a career-high 2.2 innings of work.
THIS AND THAT — Has held right-handed hitters to a .222/.276/.370 (6-for-27) clip compared to .444/.474/.611 (8-for-18) against lefties…opponents are batting .231 (6-for-26) against him following a first-pitch strike compared to .471 (8-for-17) when his initial offering is a ball.
LAST TIME OUT — Faucher did not factor into a decision after tossing 2.0 innings on 4/21 vs. Chicago-AL, allowing three runs on a career-high five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.…Faucher threw a career-high 46 pitches in the outing.
Eight of his nine strikeouts this season have come via his sweeper, a pitch he utilizes 40.8 percent of the time…Faucher has induced a 31.4 whiff percentage on the offering while holding opponents to a .240 average (6-for-25; 5 singles, 1 HR) on the sweeper.
