Field Level Media
Sep 18, 2021
Chas McCormick earned a walk-off RBI when he was hit by a 10th-inning pitch, and the Houston Astros rallied for an unorthodox 4-3 win over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.
After Arizona moved ahead on a David Peralta RBI single in the top of the 10th, Houston responded with a Jake Meyers bloop into shallow right field that drove home the tying run.
Having intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez to face Meyers, Arizona reliever Tyler Clippard (1-1) then walked pinch hitter Aledmys Diaz to load the bases for McCormick.
It marked the first walk-off hit by pitch for the Astros since Aug. 8, 1998.
Jose Altuve ended the no-hit bid of Diamondbacks left-hander Madison Bumgarner in dramatic fashion with two outs in the sixth inning, following the first career walk by rookie Jose Siri with a 376-foot home run to left that put Houston on top 2-1. It was the 28th homer of the season for Altuve and the lone hit surrendered by Bumgarner over seven innings.
Diamondbacks designated hitter Kole Calhoun, fresh off the 10-day injured list, broke the scoreless tie with his fourth home run leading off the sixth against Astros reliever Cristian Javier.
Trailing 2-1 entering the eighth, the Diamondbacks clawed back against Astros reliever Kendall Graveman. After two seeing-eye singles and a walk, Josh VanMeter drove in the tying run with a two-out, two-strike single that Altuve deflected at second base but failed to corral with a diving attempt.
Astros right-hander Brandon Bielak made his first start of the season in what was essentially an emergency context. Rookie right-hander Luis Garcia was the scheduled starter for the series opener against the Diamondbacks but was bumped up one day in the rotation when left-hander Framber Valdez was scratched against the Texas Rangers on Thursday due to a cut on his left index finger.
Bielak tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits while striking out six with two walks. Ryan Stanek (3-4), the eighth Houston pitcher, got the win despite allowing an unearned run in the top of the 10th.
Bumgarner walked one and struck out three.
--Field Level Media