Astros beat the Tigers 4-2 Wednesday afternoon to take the series. Peter Lambert pitched seven strong innings and Jeremy Peña had a huge day at the plate. A great way to close out the homestand.
Peter Lambert's Outstanding Performance
Peter Lambert was just what the Astros needed. Lambert has been a model for consistency and seems to get even better as the game goes on. He allowed just one run on two hits over seven innings. He struck out five and did not walk a single batter. He retired nine of his first 10 batters and 11 straight at one point. He improved to 6-4 on the season, per MLB.
Jeremy Peña Led the Way
Peña homered in the third inning off Mize, his fourth of the season. He also added an RBI single later in the game, making for a big offensive day for Peña.
The Offense Built the Lead
Yordan Alvarez did what he does and doubled in the fifth to make it 2-0, extending his on-base streak to 24 games. Isaac Paredes added an RBI double, and Peña's bases-loaded single in the sixth gave the Astros more breathing room. When the pitching and the offense are clicking at the same time, the Astros are a dangerous team.
Kerry Carpenter homered off Lambert in the seventh, keeping Astros fans on their toes. Rookie Kevin McGonigle hit a solo homer off Josh Hader in the ninth, another scare for the Astros. But Hader settled in and struck out the side to secure his fourth save.
The Astros improve to 34-41 and take the series from the Tigers. The bullpen has been excellent since May 15, best ERA, WHIP, and opponent average in the AL over that stretch, per ESPN. A much needed improvement from how they started the season.
The Astros are 17-13 since May 15, a sign that this team is trending in the right direction.
The Astros open a series with Cleveland at home. Tatsuya Imai gets the start in the opener and needs a little redemption from his last outing.
Back to back series wins for the Astros. Lambert continues to be one of the best stories of the season and this team is finally starting to look like itself.
