Game one of this series was a resounding win for the Houston Astros, as they took down the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2. Game two is set for Tuesday night at 6:35, and this game is Wednesday at 12:35 p.m. EST. The story of Monday's game was the offenses, as Houston picked up 13 hits and Pittsburgh only collected three. Framber Valdez added another quality start to his collection, and the Astros cruised to a second straight win. Divisional rivals from 1994-2012, these now interleague foes won't face each other again in 2023 after this contest. Let's see who will wrap up the series with a victory in PNC Park.
Thank you Maldy ?? pic.twitter.com/mZbRjP7okH
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 10, 2023
The Astros won two in a row ahead of Tuesday's game, with both wins by greater than three runs. Houston hasn't gotten off to the strongest start, especially considering they won it all last year, but it's also way too early to raise concern. Picking up two easy wins in a row is a good sign that the team can get back to their dominant ways. The better their record is when Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley return, the better their chances of winning the AL West or finishing with the best record in baseball.
Monday's game was the first for Jose Abreu without collecting a hit in an Astros uniform. However, in front of him, Yordan Alvarez finished 3-4 with a walk and two RBIs, while behind him Kyle Tucker collected two hits, three RBIS, and a walk. Those three are pacing an offense ninth in OBP and scoring 5.0 runs per game through their first 11. Strikeouts and slugging percentage are a concern, but they 9;re putting runs on the board.
Houston's pitching staff was elite in 2022, and they're building back toward that this season. The Astros are collectively top-10 in ERA, strikeout rate, walk rate, and strikeout-to-walk ratio. They've given up a ton of hits and own a BABIP of .327, but those are numbers that should dip with how well they command the strike zone.
Jose Urquidy will start his third game of the season to end this series, looking to follow up a solid second start. Although Houston lost, Urquidy tossed 5.1 innings and only allowed one run. 2022 was his worst season in the majors, so he's gunning for more outings like the last one in 2023.