The Houston Astros dropped their series opener to the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night at Daikin Park, falling 8-3. After coming off a series win on the road, Houston couldn’t carry that momentum into its return home.
The Dodgers did most of their damage at the plate, putting consistent pressure on Houston and taking control as the game went on. Kyle Tucker led the way against his former team, hitting a home run and driving in two runs. Houston got a spark from Zach Cole, who hit a solo home run after being called up from Triple-A, but it wasn’t enough to keep up.
Houston had a tough time keeping this one close, as pitching issues made things difficult again. There were some moments where the offense showed life, but they couldn’t put enough together to really get back into the game.
The Astros will look to bounce back in the next matchup as they try to even the series. So far this season, the Astros have shown they can respond after tough losses. Even against the Yankees, they were able to secure a win in the final game of the series, but those kinds of performances start on the mound.
Peter Lambert will be the starting pitcher for the Astros in the second game of the series. Lambert has had some strong outings, but hasn’t been consistent, so if Houston wants to take control of the series, he’ll need to be at his best.