Astros return home to face struggling Cubs


Of their continued seek for offense from an underperforming, injury-compromised lineup, the Houston Astros on Sunday welcomed the primary profession dwelling run from rookie Yainer Diaz

Diaz socked a solo shot within the fourth inning of the Astros‘ 4-3 win over the Chicago White Sox within the rubber match of that three-game sequence, a victory that allowed Houston to finish a nine-game highway journey with a 5-4 mark

Houston will open a three-game sequence and six-game homestand towards the Chicago Cubs on Monday

Diaz clubbed 52 dwelling runs and posted a .510 slugging proportion throughout 5 seasons and 340 video games within the minors prior to creating his debut final September. As a ballyhooed prospect, the ability potential was all the time current, however it wasn’t till Sunday that Diaz cleared the fences within the majors.

“If you see a man’s observe document and you recognize what he can do, despite the fact that it is at one other stage,” Astros supervisor Dusty Baker mentioned. “You recognize what energy that he does have however he is received to get that first one out of the best way.

Diaz served because the Astros‘ designated hitter on Sunday however has labored because the backup catcher to Martin Maldonado. There was some dialogue concerning the frequency Diaz will work behind the plate, with some requires elevated alternatives as a lineup mainstay

“Yainer continues to be studying the way to name the sport,” Baker mentioned when requested if Diaz will catch extra within the close to future.

Left-hander Framber Valdez (3-4, 2.38 ERA) has the beginning project for the Astros on Monday. He was wonderful in his earlier begin, permitting one run on three hits whereas recording 12 strikeouts over eight innings in a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Could 9. Valdez is tied for the most important league lead in high quality begins (seven), and amongst American League pitchers is third in innings (53) and sixth in ERA and strikeouts (57)

Valdez will make his first profession look towards the Cubs. He’s 8-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 profession interleague begins

Proper-hander Jameson Taillon (0-2, 6.41) is the scheduled starter for the Cubs within the sequence opener on Monday. He’s coming off his shortest begin of the season final Tuesday towards the St. Louis Cardinals, permitting 4 runs on 5 hits and two walks with 5 strikeouts over 2 2/3 innings within the Cubs‘ 6-4 loss. Taillon didn’t issue into the choice in what was his second begin since getting back from the 15-day injured checklist on Could 4. He was sidelined with a left groin pressure

Taillon is scheduled to make his fourth profession begin towards the Astros, towards whom he’s 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA. In his lone begin in Houston on July 11, 2021, he allowed two runs on three hits — together with two dwelling runs — and two walks with 4 strikeouts over six innings however didn’t issue into the choice of the New York Yankees’ 8-7 loss. Taillon graduated from The Woodlands Excessive College simply north of Houston

After taking Friday’s opener of a three-game set with the Minnesota Twins that was the primary leg of a three-city, nine-game highway journey, the Cubs suffered a second consecutive blowout loss within the rubber match Sunday, 16-3. The Cubs have been outscored 27-4 over the ultimate two video games of the sequence and have dropped 5 of their final seven video games

Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman entered Sunday with seven high quality begins. He didn’t survive the Twins’ seven-run third inning and allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks whereas recording solely eight outs. The Cubs‘ rotation entered the sequence fourth within the majors with a 3.36 ERA however ended it ninth at 3.79

–Area Degree Media