After posting two of their most essential victories of the season so far, the visiting Houston Astros will look to earn a pivotal collection sweep of the floundering Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon.
With 13 video games left within the common season, Houston (81-68) is tied with the Seattle Mariners atop the American League West, whereas holding a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers. The Astros, who’ve gained three of their final 4, have seen Seattle win eight straight and Texas win six in a row, leaving little room for error within the postseason chase.
Serving to its odds the final two nights, Houston has picked up a pair of highway wins over Atlanta — together with a 6-2 victory on Saturday. After mustering simply two hits in a shutout loss towards the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, the Astros have battered the Braves for 17 runs on 23 hits by means of the collection’ first two video games — a pattern supervisor Joe Espada hopes to see extended within the collection finale.
“It is essential that we supply over our momentum offensively,” Espada stated. “That is one thing we have been making an attempt to do and we achieved that (Saturday). Simply controlling our at-bats, when you may have a pitcher on the ropes, you management that momentum, you management the pitches you wish to swing at. After we do this, we’re capable of get pitchers out of the sport within the fourth, fifth inning.”
Trying to assist the Astros full their first sweep since taking three from the Arizona Diamondbacks from July 21-23, Framber Valdez (12-9, 3.42 ERA) is slated to make his twenty ninth begin of the 12 months. Final trip, Valdez allowed 4 runs (three earned) throughout seven innings in a 4-2 defeat to the Texas Rangers on Sept. 7.
In his lone profession begin towards Atlanta, the 31-year-old left-hander threw seven innings of three-run ball in a 6-3 victory on April 22, 2023.
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve’s availability is unclear after he left Saturday’s sport in third inning due to proper foot discomfort. Espada stated he took Altuve out of the sport as a precaution. Altuve declined to be interviewed after the sport.
For almost all of the season, Atlanta (65-83) has had little for which to play exterior of making an attempt to construct momentum for 2026. The Braves are mired in a four-game shedding streak, and having gone 4-11 of their final 15 video games.
Joey Wentz (5-6, 5.61) — a participant Atlanta wouldn’t have anticipated earlier than the season of constructing September begins — might help the Braves salvage the collection on Sunday. The workforce is hoping to keep away from its first collection sweep for the reason that Milwaukee Brewers gained three in a row in Atlanta from Aug. 4-6.
Wentz joined the pitching employees in July after the Pittsburgh Pirates and Minnesota Twins every designated the 27-year-old for project. He struggled in his final outing, surrendering eight runs (six earned) in simply 2 1/3 innings in an 18-2 loss to Seattle.
“I do not suppose I actually earned the appropriate for something to go my manner,” stated Wentz, who’s 3-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 11 appearances (10 begins) with Atlanta.
In three profession outings (one begin) towards the Astros, Wentz is 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 5 innings.
–Discipline Stage Media