The super-sized Part 15 of the 16 part series looking back at the 2022 Astros' season. Next week, the playoffs!
September 12-October 2Record: 16-6Overall Record: 106-56AL West Position: 1st place by 16 gamesAL Overall Position: Best record by 7 gamesGame 141: September 12, 2022: Astros 7, Tigers 0
@ Comerica Park
Attendance: 13,054
Record: 91-50
It was flame on for Framber Valdez on the road. He improved to 15-5 on the year with a complete-game 6-hit shutout in which he walked just 1 batter and struck out 8, lowering his season ERA to 2.55. The Astros pounded out 13 hits, with Jeremy Pena going 3 for 5 with a double and his 10th steal of the year. Jose Altuve was 2 for 5 with 2 runs scored and Kyle Tucker was 1 for 5 with 3 RBI, giving him 93 on the year.
Game 142: September 13, 2022: Astros 6, Tigers 3
@ Comerica Park
Attendance: 13,820
Record: 92-50
Hunter Brown improved to 2-0 with 6 innings of 5-hit, 2-run ball, and the Astros got homers from Yordan Alvarez (#33), Kyle Tucker (#26), and Yuli Gurriel (#8) to take the win. Alvarez was 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored. Tucker reached 95 RBI, with Alvarez and Bregman each posting their 84th.
Game 143: September 14, 2022: Astros 2, Tigers 1
@ Comerica Park
Attendance: 13,947
Record: 93-50
It was more brilliant pitching in a clean sweep of the Tigers. Cristian Javier threw 6 2-hit, shutout innings, walking none and striking out eight to get to 9-9 on the year with a 2.87 ERA. Kyle Tucker socked his 27th home run to reach 96 RBI on the year.
Game 144: September 15, 2022: Astros 5, A's 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 26,543
Record: 94-50
The Astros made it 5 wins in a row, erupting for 3 runs in the last of the 7th to beat the A's. Tied 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh, the Astros got a 2-out, 2-run homer by Aledmys Diaz to break the tie. Kyle Tucker then singled in Yordan Alvarez, making a winner out of Seth Martinez in relief. Lance McCullers had a live-wire arm to start the game, pitching 6 innings, allowing 2 hits, and striking out 11. The Astro bullpen allowed just 1 base runner in the final 3 innings.
Game 145: September 16, 2022: Astros 5, A's 0
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 33,850
Record: 95-50
The winning streak hit six straight as Justin Verlander returned from the DL to pitch 5 no-hit innings, walking 1 and striking out nine. Phil Maton blew the no-hitter in the sixth, but the A's managed just three hits and struck out 16 times. Yordan Alvarez went beast mode at the plate with three home runs to get him to 36 for the year, going 4 for 4 to jump his average to .304 and his RBI tally to 88.
Game 146: September 17, 2022: A's 8, Astros 5
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 33,419
Record: 95-51
I finally take my kids to their first-ever Astros game, the good guys hit 3 home runs in the first inning (Diaz, Tucker, Mancini) and Jose Urquidy decides to get destroyed by the A's? Yep, Urquidy gives up 6 earned runs in 6 innings and the bullpen isn't much better. Yordan hits #37 late but I still manage to go 0-2 in a season where the Astros won 106 games.
Game 147: September 18, 2022: Astros 11, A's 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 30.375
Record: 96-51
Naturally, the Astros come back the next day to curb stomp the A's, scoring 7 runs in the first four innings and getting another masterful performance from Framber Valdez, 2 runs in 6 innings with 7 strikeouts. Machete hits his 13th homer of the year, going 4 for 4 with 4 runs scored and 4 RBI, sending his average soaring to a deadly .184 in the process. Yordan also drives in 4 runs to get him to 93 for the year, and Jose Altuve is 3 for 4 as the Astros pound out 15 hits.
Game 148: September 19, 2022: Astros 4, Rays 0
@ Tropicana Field
Attendance: 10,390
Record: 97-51
It's playoff fever for the Rays, but you'd never know it based on their 10,000 fans in the stands. They miss out on a combined 5-hit shutout by LuAce, Hunter Brown, and Hector Neris. Jose Altuve goes yard in the top of the first inning and is 2 for 4. Alex Bregan has 2 RBI on his 38th double, giving him 88 drive in for the year.
Game 149: September 20, 2022: Astros 5, Rays 0
@ Tropicana Field
Attendance: 8,992
Record: 98-51
The Astro Train (not the Transformer) keeps rolling, as Cristian Javier and the bullpen combine on a 3-hit shoutout, striking out 12 Rays. Kyle Tucker reaches the century mark in RBI at 100, while Jeremy Pena is 2 for 4 with 3 RBI and his 19th homer. Jose Altuve is 2 for 3 with 3 runs scored and has his average up to .294.
Game 150: September 21, 2022: Astros 5, Rays 2
@ Tropicana Field
Attendance: 9,293
Record: 99-51
The Astros have to rally for this one, scoring 4 runs in the last two innings to sweep the Rays 5-2 and reach their 99th win of the year. Lance McCullers Jr. goes 7 innings for the first time all year and gets the win to improve to 4-1, allowing 2 earned runs and striking out 8. Down 2-1 in the top of the eighth, the Astros pick on ex-teammate Brooks Raley. Pena doubles, and scores on Diaz's single. Tucker follows with a two-run blast to make it 4-2 good guys. It's Tucker's 29th home run and gives him 102 RBI on the year. Machete hits his 14th homer of the year in the top of the ninth for an insurance run.
Game 150: September 22, 2022: Orioles 2, Astros 0
@ Camden Yards
Attendance: 16,417
Record: 99-52
The troublesome Orioles deny the Astros their 100th win and ruin a quality start by Justin Verlander. Kyle Bradish limits the Astros to 2 hits in 8 and two-thirds innings and strikeouts out 10. Jeremy Pena singles with two out in the 10th, so Felix Baustita comes in to strike out Aledmys Diaz to end the game.
Game 151: September 23, 2022: Orioles 6, Astros 0
@ Camden Yards
Attendance: 22,833
Record: 99-53
For a second straight night, the Astro bats are baffled by Oriole pitching. This time it's Dean Kremer with the complete-game 4-hit shutout, striking out six as the Astros lose their second in a row. Jose Urquidy gets the hard-luck loss, allowing 1 earned run and striking out six.
Game 152: September 24, 2022: Astros 11, Orioles 10
@ Camden Yards
Attendance: 22,546
Record: 100-53
It takes a third, fourth, and fifth effort, but the Astros finally get their 100th win of the year. They overcome deficits of 5-2, 7-6, and 9-7 with a four-run ninth in a shootout with the Orioles. Down 9-7 going to their final at bat, the Astros get a single by Christian Vazquez and a walk by Jose Altuve to start the frame. One out later, Yordan Alvarez singles to load the bases, and Vazquez scores on a grounder to second by Alex Bregman, cutting the lead to 9-8. Kyle Tucker follows with a double to right that chases Altuve home with the game-tying run. After a pitching change, Yuli Gurriel's two-run single to right makes it 11-9. Ryan Pressly allows a 9th inning homer to Rougned Odor before recording the save. Gurriel drives in 3, and Bregman, Altuve and Pena add 2 RBI each. Altuve belts his 26th homer of the year and is up to .297. Tucker gets to 103 RBI and steals his 23rd base. Bregman reaches 90 RBI, and Alvarez is up to 95.
Game 154: September 25, 2022: Astros 6, Orioles 3
@ Camden Yards
Attendance: 24,449
Record: 101-53
The Astros get the series split with the Orioles with a thrilling pair of extra innings, scoring 4 in the top of the 11th for the win. Houston leads 1-0 for much of the game before the Orioles tied it at one in the bottom of the eighth. In the top of the 10th, Yuli Gurriel scores on a wild pitch, but the Orioles tie it with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame, 2-2. The Astros piece together a four-run rally in the top of the 11th thanks to a sac fly by Yordan Alvarez that is misplayed, a bases-loaded walk to Kyle Tucker, and a two-run single by Christian Vazquez.
Game 155: September 27, 2002: Astros 10, Diamondback 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 37,480
Record: 102-53
Looking at the box score, I can tell you who exactly one of the Diamondbacks is. Meanwhile the Astros get Luis Garcia his 14th win, putting together 7 runs from the 4th to the 6th. Jose Altuve hits two home runs, including one leading off the first, and is 3 for 4 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBI, raising his average to .298. David Hensley has his first career home run, and is 2 for 3 with 3 RBI. The Astros tie the 1998 squad for 102 wins.
Game 156: September 28, 2002: Diamondbacks 5, Astross 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 35,670
Record: 102-54
The Diamondbacks slap Will Smith for 3 runs in the top of the 10th, halting the Astros' three-game win streak. Chazzy Fizzy is 3 for 3 with 2 RBI and his 14th homer in the loss.
Game 157: September 30, 2002: Rays 7, Astros 3
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 37,349
Record: 102-55
After looking comatose at home, the Rays find their offense and knock Framber Valdez around for 6 earned runs in 5 innings. Houston gets just 7 hits, but one of those is Alex Bregman's 23rd homer of the year, giving him 92 RBI.
Game 158: October 1, 2022, Astros 2, Rays 1
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 37,406
Record: 103-55
Cristian Javier is almost perfect again, allowing 2 hits and 0 runs in 6 innings, striking out seven in the victory. The Astros make 2 runs hold up in the bottom of the third on a Jeremy Pena RBI single and a wild pitch that scores Jose Altuve.
Game 159: October 2, 2022, Astros 3, Rays 1
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 35,809
Record: 104-55
Luis Garcia becomes a 15-game winner, allowing 1 run on 3 hits in 6 innings, and the Astros beat Corey Kluber for the second time in a week. Jeremy Pena socks his 21st homer of the year and drives in all 3 runs.
Game 160: October 3, 2022, Phillies 3, Astros 0
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 32,324
Record: 104-56
The Phillies clinch their first postseason berth since 2011 with a shutout win at Minute Maid Park. Little does anyone know they'll be back in Houston a few weeks later for the World Series. The Astros managed just 2 hits and strike out 12 times against Aaron Nola and company.
Game 161: October 4, 2022, Astros 10, Phillies 0
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 32,032
Record: 105-56
The Phillies look a lot like a team that partied really hard the night before as the Astros slam them 10-0, allowing just 3 hits while collecting 17 of their own. In his final regular-season start as an Astro, Justin Verlander allows no hits, 1 walk, and strikes out 10 in 5 innings. Meanwhile Jeremy Pena hits his 22nd home run, Kyle Tucker his 30th, and Martin Maldonado his 15th. Jose Altuve goes 3 for 3 to raise his season average to .300.Tucker has 3 RBI to get to 107 on the year.
Game 162: October 5, 2022, Astros 3, Phillies 2
@ Minute Maid Park
Attendance: 32,432
Record: 106-56
The Astros hold on at the end for their 106th win, the second-most in team history. Framber Valdez is wicked awesome, throwing 5 shutout innings with 1 walk and 10 strikeouts. Ryan Pressley retires the side in order in the last of the 9th to record his 33rd save. Chas McCormcik is 3 for 3 and Christian Vazquez hits a pinch-hit home run in the 7th inning. Yordan Alvarez has an RBI single and goes 2 for 3 to finish the regular season with a .306 batting average and 97 RBI.
Life is better with a beagle
