Game of the Week: April 24: HOU @ PIT

[Commissioner Erick]

Houston Astros (11-2) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (4-9)


HOU: J. Musgrove (1-0, 2.57)
PIT: Casey Sadler (1-0, 0.00)



The Houston Astros are on the road to an AL West title. The Pittsburgh Pirates are at a fork determining a rebuilding path or an attempt to make the playoffs. Those paths intersect beginning Tuesday.

The Astros have rolled to an 11-2 start fueled by an incredibly deep roster. The fact they're thriving despite their best player, last year's Bronze Medal winner for MVP Jose Altuve, having a rough start is testament to their depth.

The team's third, fourth, and sixth hitters all starred internationally. Their ninth place hitter has three home runs. Their second place hitter was the third best player in the Pacific Coast League last season. It's an accomplished team, one that has put forth the second most runs in the American League, and the second fewest errors defensively.

Their pitching will level the playing field tonight though. Joe Musgrove has been banged up with an elbow strain. He pitched well in his last start, 6 innings of two-run ball against a good Tampa Bay team, but the Astros may want to be cautious with him. If he doesn't get the nod, a good-looking prospect Francis Martes may get the nod from Triple-A.

As was the case last year, the Astros have flexibility to limit the workload of their starter as their bullpen is exceptional. Ken Giles has already racked up seven saves, Luke Gregerson, Will Harris, and Michael Feliz are picking up on fantastic 2017s, and former Twins closer Glen Perkins has only allowed an unearned run in eight outings spanning 4.1 innings.

This will be rough news for a Pirates team in disarray. The Pirates are 4-9 with Jameson Taillon and Clay Holmes out for the year. The team traded Andrew McCutchen for Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Stevenson in the offseason. The move was done to get the Pirates better talent in their rotation, and a young outfielder who could cushion the loss of McCutchen. However, the Taillon injury has rendered Gonzalez moot, the Holmes injury taps an already shallow staff, and Stevenson is hitting .214.

The players who produced last year are continuing to produce, and those who struggled, like Jung-Ho Kang, are continuing to struggle. The differences are with Gregory Polanco and Starling Marte. Polanco had a league-average season last year with the bat, but played great defense and stole some bases to offset the high offensive expectations that come along with right field. He's slugging .292 so far this year. Meanwhile, Marte is barely hitting over .200 as a designated hitter.

A good game against Houston would go a long way to reassuring Pittsburgh fans of their present, but an ugly showing may turn their gaze towards the future.


Questions for the GMs:


For Chris Benji, some missed paperwork with the league office led to a strange roster situation to begin the season. How have you coped with certain players not being in levels or lineups you wanted them in?

Musgrove is banged up. Does he get the ball tonight?

You had a strong bullpen last year, but still added Glen Perkins. Why add the resources to such a strength position?

For Mike McAvoy, Austin Meadows has been a huge bright spot for your team, but now he has a strained hamstring. It's very early but your team is struggling. Do you put him on the DL or hope he can play through it?

You haven't gotten the production you wanted out of your outfielders. Is this a slow start or are you concerned?

Against a bullpen like Houston's, how do you ideally want the game to go. Will you play small ball for early runs, or hope for a big inning?

[chrisbenji]

Well I started out 11-2 so I think I salvaged the miscue of the roster decision the first week lol but it was a bad look.

Yeah he's starting tonight I didn't see the injury as putting him on the DL worthy, hopefully it doesnt bite me

Bullpen was strong yes, but it was missing a strong lefty, I've been looking for a starter for a while but the market hasn't opened yet!

[pittsburghgm]

Austin Meadows has been a huge bright spot for your team, but now he has a strained hamstring. It's very early but your team is struggling. Do you put him on the DL or hope he can play through it?


With 6 days left we will give him the next 6 days off but not put him on the DL. He's been great on a team that hasn't really found its identity after losing two of its best SP.


You haven't gotten the production you wanted out of your outfielders. Is this a slow start or are you concerned?


I'm going to say a slow start. Polanco should be carrying the whole team but has yet to come back from Florida apparently. Hopefully as the weather warms up so will his bat.


Against a bullpen like Houston's, how do you ideally want the game to go. Will you play small ball for early runs, or hope for a big inning?


Got to score early and often against them. Their a very good team.

[Commissioner Erick]

Pirates 7 - Astros 4


WP: C. Sadler (2-0)
LP: J. Musgrove (1-1)
SV: F. Rivero (2)


Joe Musgrove couldn't pitch through a strained arm. Austin Meadows hit just find despite a pulled hamstring.

Meadows went 2-4 with a home run and three RBIs, Musgrove couldn't get out of the fourth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates picked up a big win over the Houston Astros 7-4.

The Pirates, who have gotten very little out of their non-Meadows outfield, struck early with their outfielders in this game.

Gregory Polanco bashed a home run in the first inning to get the Pirates an early 1-0 lead. After Yuli Gurriel homered to tie the game in the second, Josh Harrison continued to rake, coming up with a double with out in the second. The struggling Starling Marte grounded a single through the left side, and Harrison got a great jump to score on the play.

The outfield continued to produce in the third. Polanco cracked a one-out double, scoring when Austin Meadows went the other way, cracking a single to left-center. Marte came up with two on, and bashed a single through the infield, opening up a 4-1 lead. The scuffling Jung-ho Kang doubled in Meadows with a drive to right-center that made it 5-1. Musgrove then plunked Polanco in the fourth. There was some question as to whether it was intentional or not and some words were exchanged, but Houston's manager bot had already signaled to the pen. Musgrove gave up eight hits, two walks, and five runs in 3.2 ineffective innings.

The Astros didn't go away though, starting a two-out rally in the fifth. Jose Altuve singled in a run to make it 5-2, before Derek Fisher was plunked, and Carlos Correa struck a strong single through the box to plate Altuve. Harrison made a nice wide-ranging play on a ground ball by Gurriel to save a hit and make it 5-3.

They made it 5-4 in the seventh. Alex Bregman spanked a hanging curveball to the wall in center field, scampering to third on the triple. Altuve followed with a single, bringing the score to one and chasing Casey Sadler from the game. A.J. Schugel was brought in to face the lefty Fisher who he struck out. Schugel walked Correa putting the tying run in scoring position, but Yuli Gurriel hit a harmless fly ball to end the frame.

The Pirates came back and gave themselves some breathing room in the seventh. Luke Gregerson got a hit and an out, turning things over to Glen Perkins to face Meadows. Meadows crushed a home run to right field though, making it 7-4 and crushing the momentum for Houston.

Schugel continued on for a scoreless eighth and Felipe Rivero worked around a single to record his second save in the ninth.


Questions for the GMs:


For Mike McAvoy, Schugel had really struggled this season, but looked great against Houston. What's been the cause of his inconsistency?

Casey Sadler wasn't great, allowing four runs in 6.1 innings. However, considering the lineup he faced, that's not too bad. He now has a 2-0 record with a 2.30 ERA. What has made him so effective this year?

You called it with your struggling outfield picking up big hits. Jung-ho Kang has struggled even worse than Marte, Polanco, and Stevenson though. He had two hits. Is he still salvageable?