The Astros got punked again at Minute Maid Park.
What else is new?
Losing at home has become a nasty habit at the worst possible time of the season for a team trying to make the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season and reach a fifth World Series.
Unlike the last 2-5 homestand in which the Mariners were trying to win the American League West and responded by sweeping the floor with the Astros, this time the defending World Champions lost three in a row to the Yankees, who are trying to avoid the AL East basement for the first time since 1990.
Because they’re out of the playoff race, the Yankees reached into their farm system and called up some young hitters who pounded Houston pitching for three consecutive games. The Baby Bombers, led by 20-year-old centerfielder Jasson Dominguez, spanked the Astros’ pitchers in embarrassing fashion.
Dominquez was the most impressive in three consecutive sellouts of more than 41,000. Against Justin Verlander on Friday night, Dominguez drilled the first pitch of his first plate appearance as a Yankee for a home run in a 6-2 victory over the Astros. He went deep again Sunday against Cristin Javier, supplying what proved to be the winning runs in an easy 6-1 victory.
New a fans know the Astros have owned the Yankees, their team has been owned by the Astros, and they celebrated the sweep like it was 2000 all over again. And the Astros deserved every Bronx cheer they got.
Considering how pathetic they’ve played at Minute Maid Park, where they’re 35-34, the Astros should be happy to hightail it to Arlington for a three-game series against the Rangers that begins on Monday afternoon. They’re 42-27 on the road. The Rangers are 43-26 at home.
Barring a Lone Star State confrontation in the playoffs, the series is the last time the Astros play Texas in this I-45 rivalry in which both teams are trying to win the division or earn a wild card berth.
If they’re fortunate enough to make the playoffs again, the Astros may want to take into consideration how feeble they’ve been at Minute Maid Park and petition Major League Baseball to play all playoff games on the road. Since the All-Star Game, they’re 10-11 at home, including 2-7 in their last nine games.
Considering the Astros are in their best shape physically, their miserable performance at home almost defies explanation, especially when they continue to win on the road.
Against the Yankees, the Astros wasted an opportunity to take over first place. The Mariners lost on Sunday, but the Rangers won. Going into the Labor Day games, Seattle leads the division (77-59,.566) by one game over the Rangers (76-60,.559) and Astros (77-61,.558).
If you’re looking ahead, don’t forget the Mariners finish the season with seven consecutive home games – three against the Astros and four against the Rangers.
It was another humiliating performance at MMP by the Astros in a series in which Dusty Baker made enough questionable decisions to last the rest of the season. For instance, he pinch hit Jon Singleton for Chas McCormick in the ninth inning on Saturday. Everyone at Minute Maid Park, watching on television and listening on the radio was baffled at a decision Baker said he made based on “projections.” Naturally, Singleton struck out.
On Sunday, McCormick and Yainer Diaz, who have combined for 39 home runs, including a two-run shot by Diaz on Saturday, weren’t in the lineup. Diaz did get a pinch-hitting appearance for Martin Maldonado and singled. Starting Mauricio Dubon and Maldonado over McCormick and Diaz continues to make no sense considering how their production at the plate doesn’t come close to what McCormick and Diaz have produced.
Back to their House of Horrors.
Playing so dreadfully at home continues to be flabbergasting considering how good the Astros have been on the road.
The Astros returned to Minute Maid Park riding a five-game winning streak. They had Verlander, Hunter Brown and Javier scheduled to pitch. Verlander had his worst performance since being traded back to Houston. Brown couldn’t get even one out in the fifth inning before heading to the shower in a 5-4 defeat.
On the Sunday night game televised nationally by ESPN, the Yankees pulverized the Astros again. Javier, the biggest disappointment on the starting staff this season, pitched like it was 2022 again for the first five innings. He was tremendous, but it all fell apart in the sixth when he surrendered three runs that gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead, and they never looked back.
Jose Urquidy was awful in a three-run ninth that gave the Yankees breathing room they didn’t even need.
Maybe the Astros will rebound in Arlington before they come home to play a weekend series against San Diego. Maybe J.P. France, Framber Valdez and Verlander will pitch the way they’re capable against the Rangers. Maybe hitters who pummeled opposing pitchers for 78 hits and 51 runs during five consecutive victories will get their mojo back.
That’s a lot of maybes. But right now, maybe is all fans can count on because the Astros are riding a rollercoaster. Maybe it’ll be a rollercoaster to oblivion, or maybe it’ll be a rollercoaster that takes them to another division title.
(John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on Sports Radio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio. He also writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.)