After two strong pitching performances from Spencer Arrighetti and Kai-Wei Teng, Peter Lambert was up next, going for the full sweep.
It was Lambert's first start on the road in May and he got the job done, securing the win 8-5. It was not Lambert's cleanest outing, but he made it through five innings and gave the Astros a chance to win, which is exactly what they needed from him. Here is a look at his game stats, per MLB:
May 24 vs Cubs: IP: 5.0, H: 5, R: 3, BB: 4, SO: 5, Pitches: 103, Result: W
Lambert has been one of the more intriguing arms in the Astros rotation this season. He was brought in as a non-roster invitee to stabilize a rotation that has been battered by injuries and inconsistency, and at his best, he has done exactly that. Here is a look at his season and career stats, per MLB:
2026 Regular Season: W: 3, L: 4, ERA: 3.79, G: 7, IP: 40.1, SO: 40, WHIP: 1.17
Career: W: 11, L: 23, ERA: 5.93, IP: 284.0, SO: 221, WHIP: 1.55
His 3.79 ERA this season is a significant improvement over his 5.93 career ERA, suggesting Lambert may finally be putting it all together at the right time. For an Astros rotation that has been stretched thin all season, that kind of improvement could not come at a better time.
The Houston Astros desperately needed a boost to take back control of the season and a series sweep against the Cubs was exactly what they needed. Three strong pitching performances helped pave the way for the first sweep at Wrigley since 2011.
