Astros: Wade Miley and Houston lose out in pitching duel

Astros’ starting pitcher Wade Miley and Oakland’s Frankie Montas battled it out pitch for pitch last night with Miley coming up short in the 2-1 loss.

It was the kind of game that only true baseball fans can enjoy, two hurlers grinding it out in a classic pitcher’s duel, and by two unlikely combatants. The Astros ended up losing this one on a solo shot in the sixth by Matt Chapman on what Miley called a “lazy cutter”. That one pitch was the only difference and all the Athletics needed.

Miley and Montas both went six innings and both only allowed six runners on base. Miley gave up four hits and a walk, and Montas ceded three hits and 2 walks, each adding a hit batsman. Miley threw 57 of his pitches as strikes and Montas 58. The two starters pitched nearly identical games. The only difference was that one pitch by Miley that found it’s way out of the ballpark.

Oakland drew first blood in the bottom of the second when Mark Canha doubled on with one out and two batters later scored on another double by Jurickson Profar. Miley wouldn’t give up another hit until the fifth inning, a single by Profar that was followed up by Josh Phegley reaching base by getting hit with a pitch. But Miley got out of trouble when Marcus Semien hit into a double play ending the inning.

In the top of the sixth George Springer drew a walk and later advanced to second on a throwing error by Montas. After a strikeout by Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman drew another walk putting runners on first and second. Michael Brantley then came up with a single to left center scoring Springer and evening up the score.

The bottom half of that same inning was when Chapman put the A’s back on top for good with a 441-foot homer to deep left center field. The Astros wouldn’t threaten to score again until the ninth when Brantley led off with a walk and was advanced to second by a Yuli Gurriel single. But a pop up by Josh Reddick and a strikeout by Robinson Chirinos end their chances.

You have to give Miley credit for a valiant pitching effort. Unfortunately, for him and the Astros it just wasn’t in the cards and the ten game winning streak came to an end. Houston will get a day of rest today and travel to Arlington to play the Rangers and begin a whole new winning streak.