Astros live game feed, is tonight’s game the offensive breakout

Astros Live game feed: Game 9, trying to break out offensively.

Wanted to try something to break the Houston Astros out of this offensive funk they are in. With the game a few minutes away, let’s look at the starting lineups batting average at the moment.

George Springer: .219

Alex Bregman: .179

Jose Altuve: .188

Carlos Correa: .310

Carlos Beltran: .276

Brian McCann: .278

Marwin Gonzalez: .278

Yulieski Gurriel: .125

Josh Reddick: .227

Facing another left-handed pitcher, it comes to no surprise that Reddick is batting ninth. He has looked bad versus left-handed pitching this year. There is no surprise that Springer and Gonzalez are in the lineup, as they both homered in the last game versus Ariel Miranda. Springer’s was one of his three leadoff homers this year, setting an MLB record for most in the first seven games of the season.

While there is not any real big concern about Altuve and Bregman, we still don’t know what Gurriel can offer at the plate. With A.J. Reed smoking the ball at Triple-A, Gurriel needs to start hitting. He is in no danger of losing his spot on the roster. This offense will be okay, but they need to start hitting while the Rangers and Mariners are down a little.

Let’s sit back and watch this game, and I will update what the players do as we go. Feel free to comment below.

First Inning.

Well there we go, Springer hits another lead-off homer. He now holds the record for the most lead-off homers in his first nine games. This is amazing. Springer was on the Josh Innes show earlier today. Apparently, there is no Sports MT curse on Innes. Springer said the offense would be fine. He was obviously referring to himself.

Springer crushed a fastball. You think pitchers would know not to throw him a first pitch fastball. Bregman strikes out, and Altuve tried to lay down a bunt, two outs with Correa up. Correa is leading the regulars with a .310 average. Correa strikes out as well. At least Altuve didn’t strikeout as well. Last year Altuve had 70 strikeouts all season, he has eight this year. That projects to be 162 strikeouts this year. Career high, 85.

Joe Musgrove, 1-2-3 inning.

2nd Inning

Remember Sunday’s game when McCann fought off pitch after pitch from the lefty in the 12th? He grounds out versus Miranda to the second baseman. Miranda retires six in a row after Gonzalez had some bad swings striking out. Is it the all-Springer show? If it is, he’s putting on a good show. We could be watching the rise of a star! Was it funny that I didn’t notice Beltran batting?

Musgrove get’s two quick outs before giving up a hit up the middle between Altuve and Correa. Musgrove is the ultimate strike thrower. Gurriel made the final out of the inning.

Third inning.

What are your predictions for Yuli’s at-bat? Well, that was quick. Reddick gets a hit versus a lefty, breaking news. Springer up, takes a mad cut at the first pitch, before grounding out to short advancing Reddick. Then, Bregman hits a bullet in between short and third, Reddick to third. Altuve is up.

Altuve finally comes through, hitting an opposite field single scoring Reddick. The Astros now have a 2-0 lead. Correa grounds out, but the Astros tack on a run. Baby steps, Bob! Even though it was a single, it meant so much for Altuve giving him his first run batted in of the season.

Cutoff Man

Musgrove gives up two runs, after Mitch Haniger doubled to left field. The Mariners had stopped Jarrod Dyson at third base but sent him home when Gonzalez threw the ball to second base instead of the cutoff man. Gonzalez is not a natural outfielder, but he has been the cutoff man how many times in his career. People make mistakes, but it seems like our veteran players are making inexcusable mental errors.

Beltran had a leadoff blooper, but Miranda retires McCann and gets Gonzalez to ground into a double play. Musgrove pitches another great inning in the fourth, looks to be up to being a big piece to this rotation like I predicted. He may not be a strikeout machine like Lance McCullers, but he’s a pitcher. Starting to remind me a little of Shane Reynolds.

5th inning

Gurriel has a solid line drive single up the middle, followed by a perfect bunt to third by Reddick with Kyle Seager shifted to short. After crushing a foul ball deep into left field, Springer strikes out. After getting the first two runners on, the Astros once again stand runners on base. Bregman strikes out and Altuve pops up. This offense is showing signs.

Not sure why there was such a discussion about whether that ball hit Carlos Ruiz. Dyson hits a sac-fly to give the Mariners the lead. Musgrove got a huge double play on Robinson Cano to end the damage in the fifth.

That’s all she wrote for Miranda as he walks McCann and Gonzalez. Gurriel reaches on an infield hit on a ball that bounced so high off the plate. Evan Gattis comes in as a pinch hitter for Reddick with the bases loaded. Gattis hits a double, scoring three runs as the ball went off Haniger’s glove. The Astros take a 5-3 lead.

After Julia Morales tried a grasshopper, the Astros have scored some runs. After the three that Gattis drove in, Bregman drives in Jake Marisnick, giving the Astros a 6-3 lead. If you are wondering why Twitter is abuzz with grasshoppers, you now know because of the rally grasshopper for the Astros.

Bregman also gets his first RBI. The Astros sent nine players to the plate, score four. With this being the largest scoring game of the season, I would call this an official offensive breakout. Either way, I am signing out for the night. Let’s go Stros.

***Stats via Baseball-Reference***