Astros-Diamondbacks Preview
Maybe the latest turn through the Houston Astros' rotation will be the one that fixes the top end. Their ace finally looked like it over the weekend and their No. 2 option Collin McHugh hopes to fix his own issues to help the Astros to their sixth win in seven games when they open a home-and-home set with Monday's visit to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Houston (22-29) is amidst its best stretch of the season after sweeping Baltimore and taking the final two games of three against the Los Angeles Angels. Ace Dallas Keuchel ended his lousy stretch with seven quality innings in Saturday's 4-2 win, and the Astros won the series with Sunday's 8-6, 13-inning victory. Carlos Correa had the day off but was used as a pinch hitter in the 13th and delivered a three-run homer. ''Best day off ever,'' he said. It was Correa's eighth home run and first since May 15. He was 1 for 11 his previous three games. ''I wanted to stay away from him,'' manager A.J. Hinch said. ''But a hit like that in an at-bat like that could do wonders for him down the road.'' McHugh hopes to help Houston beat the Diamondbacks for the seventh time in their last nine meetings. McHugh (4-4, 5.13 ERA) won both his 2015 starts against Arizona behind a 1.29 ERA on the way to a 19-win season that planted him in Houston's No. 2 starter spot. This season's opening two months have uncovered some doubt about his place there. The right-hander had a chance to log back-to-back quality starts for the first time Wednesday but fell two outs short in a 4-3 win over Baltimore. He gave up eight hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings while walking one and striking out a season-high 10. "We made a couple mistakes they made us pay for, a couple extra-base hits that come back to haunt you, but I think we did a pretty good job," McHugh told MLB's official website. "Overall, we executed our game plan well." Arizona followed a 4-11 stretch by taking the final two games of a three-game set against San Diego over the weekend. The Diamondbacks will have a new face on the mound to open this series after calling up Edwin Escobar from Triple-A Reno. The 24-year-old left-hander was claimed off waivers from Boston on April 29 after making two relief appearances for the Red Sox in 2014. He went 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA in five starts at Reno, pitching six shutout innings in his last start. He made three appearances, one start, and had a 3.86 ERA with Triple-A Pawtucket before going on waivers. Another pitcher was called up to start Sunday's 6-3 win over the Padres. Archie Bradley tossed 7 1/3 solid innings, ending the Diamondbacks' poor pitching stretch. They posted an 8.57 ERA in their previous five games, surrendering 68 hits - nine of them home runs - in 42 innings. On Sunday, Arizona scored five runs in the second inning for the second straight day. ''Impressive to score early, and then especially with a young pitcher like Archie to give him some confidence,'' manager Chip Hale said. |