The Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Daikin Park, taking the series two games to one and snapping what had been the longest active win streak in baseball so far this season.
Peter Lambert was outstanding on the mound, and the bullpen stepped in to close out the game.
Christian Walker led off the fourth inning with his 20th homer of the season, giving him five consecutive 20-homer seasons. A milestone worth noting for a player who has been one of the most consistent bats in this lineup all year.
Then Isaac Paredes followed in the sixth with his 12th homer of the season to make it 2-0, and that was all the Astros would need to secure the series.
Lambert was sharp from start to finish, continuing to be one of the Astros' most consistent arms in the rotation. He struck out six, allowed just three hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings, and improved to 7-5 on the season. He was removed with a runner on second base, but Steven Okert came in and got the job done.
Okert then threw a clean seventh inning. Bryan King worked around a leadoff single in the eighth, and Josh Hader closed it out in the ninth for his ninth save of the season despite allowing a leadoff walk.
Hader has now allowed just one run and two hits over 15 innings this season. That bullpen is as good as advertised.
On the other side, Mason Englert was actually excellent for Tampa Bay. He struck out nine batters in 5 2/3 innings, a career high, and the Rays had chances but could not get the job done.
The Astros improve to 45-47 with the win and take the series from one of the best teams in baseball. That is no small thing. The Rays came in with the longest active win streak in the majors, and the Astros sent them packing, having won two of three. Not only did they snap the Rays' winning streak, but they took the series and finished it off with a shutout win.
The Astros now head to Washington for a series against the Nationals. A great chance to keep the momentum going heading into the All-Star break.
