2018 astros first-half notes

ABOUT THE first-half RECORD about the record: At 64-35, the Astros followed up their #Allstrosgame: The Astros were represented by six Overall Record:...... 64-35 historic 2017 Championship season with players at the 2018 All-Star Game in 2B Jose Altuve, Home Record:...... 32-21 one of their best starts to a season in franchise history: 3B , RHP , RHP Charlie --with Roof Open:...... 5-6 • Have posted their second-best 99-game start in franchise Morton, OF and RHP Justin Ver- --with Roof Closed:...... 27-15 history, behind only the 2017 Astros, who went 66-33. lander...the Astros were the only team in the Majors --with Roof Open/Closed:...... 0-0 • Own the third-best record in the Majors (64-35, .646), with six All-Stars this season, and it marked the second Road Record:...... 32-14 trailing only the Red Sox (68-30, .694) and Yankees time in franchise history that the Astros had six All-Stars Current Streak:...... Lost 1 (62-33, .653). Last Homestand:...... 7-4 on one squad, as they also had six All-Stars in 2017. Last Road Trip:...... 3-3 • Have set a franchise record for wins prior to the All-Star Last 5 Games:...... 2-3 Break of a single season. big-game bregman: 3B Alex Bregman was named the Last 10 Games:...... 6-4 2018 All-Star Game MVP after hitting a go-ahead solo Series Record:...... 20-8-3 second in expansion era: The Astros lead the Majors in homer in the 10th inning in the ’s 8-6 Sweeps:...... 9-0 differential at +188, which is the second-best run victory over the ...became the first When Scoring 4 or More Runs:.....54-10 differential thru the first 99 games of a season in the player in Astros history to be selected as the MVP of When Scoring 3 or Fewer Runs:...10-25 Expansion Era (since 1961)...only the 1998 Yankees an All-Star Game. Shutouts:...... 9-6 (+197) posted a better run differential in their first 99 In One-Run Games:...... 14-16 games than the 2018 Astros have. back-to-back: 3B Alex Bregman and OF George In Two-Run Games: ...... 8-7 vs. Left-Handed Starters:...... 21-15 Springer hit back-to-back home runs off Dodgers vs. Right-Handed Starters:...... 43-20 ultimate run prevention: The Astros have boasted RHP in the 10th inning of the 2018 During the Day:...... 22-10 the top pitching staff in the Majors for virtually the All-Star Game, becoming the first pair of teammates At Night:...... 42-25 entire season...as a whole, the Astros staff leads the to hit back-to-back homers in an All-Star Game since When Scoring First:...... 41-7 Majors in (1,042), ERA (2.94), opponent Dodgers IF and OF Jimmy Wynn did Opponent Scores First:...... 23-28 batting average (.210), opponent OPS (.619), FIP so in the 1975 All-Star Game (ESPN Stats & Info). Outhit Opponent:...... 51-9 (3.16), hits allowed per 9.0 innings (6.91), strikeouts Outhit by Opponent:...... 8-24 per 9.0 innings (10.49), WHIP (1.06) and to fan favorite: 2B Jose Altuve was elected to his Equal Hits:...... 5-1 walk ratio (4.01). sixth-career All-Star Game by leading all of Major When Hitting :...... 54-20 League in fan votes with 4,849,630...prior No Home Runs:...... 10-15 starting blocks: Walkoff Home Runs:...... 1-1 The Astros have used just five starting to Altuve, no player in Astros history had ever led the Come-from-Behind Wins:...... 26 this season in (9-5, 2.29), league in fan votes...became the second player in Largest Comeback:...... 5 Gerrit Cole (10-2, 2.52), (11-2, 2.96), franchise history to start four All-Star Games, joining Losses After Leading:...... 15 Keuchel (7-8, 3.75) and Lance McCullers Jr. (1995-98). Last At-Bat Wins:...... 9 (10-4, 3.77)...that group has combined to lead MLB in Largest Blown Lead:...... 5 (613.0), strikeouts (707), ERA (3.02), workhorses: The Astros became the first Major Extra-Inning Games:...... 4-4 opponent batting average, opponent OPS (.624), League team to have three of its starting pitchers se- Different Batting Orders:...... 84 WHIP (1.07) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.38)... lected to the All-Star Game since the 2011 Phillies, who After Six Innings: the Astros are the only team in MLB to have used only were represented by NL All-Stars RHP , Lead: 48-5...... Tied: 9-7...... Trail: 7-23 After Seven Innings: five starting pitchers thus far. LHP and LHP Cliff Lee. Lead: 54-4...... Tied: 4-3...... Trail: 6-28 After Eight Innings: digits: Gerrit Cole (10-2), Charlie Morton bregman in the derby: 3B Alex Bregman was one of Lead: 57-3...... Tied: 3-5...... Trail: 4-27 (11-2) and Lance McCullers Jr. (10-4) became the eight participants in the 2018 T-Mobile Home Run second trio in Astros history to post double-digit win Derby...Bregman, who has hit 20 home runs this sea- astros 2018 timeline: totals prior to the All-Star Game...the only other trio to son, became the fifth different Astros player to take part do so was Jose Lima (13-4), Mike Hampton (11-3) in a Derby, joining Glenn Davis (1989), Hall of Famer march 29...... Win on at TEX and Shane Reynolds (11-6) in 1999. (1994, 1996-97, 1999), Moises Alou april 2...... Pennant Unveil (1998) and (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008). april 3..... 2017 World Series Ring Ceremony what a relief: The Astros bullpen has been quite april 16...... Verlander named AL POTW hit machine: june 13...... Verlander named AL POTM strong this season, as the unit leads the Majors in 2B Jose Altuve leads the Majors with 129 june 13...... Astros sign 1st-round pick Beer WHIP (1.02) and walks per 9.0 innings (2.24), while hits, the second-highest total prior to the All-Star Break june 14...... Astros take over 1st place in AL West ranking second in each of the following categories: of a single season in club history...finished the first-half june 18...Astros extend and promote Luhnow to President ERA (2.75), opponent batting average (.212), opponent just one hit shy of tying his club record of 130 hits that june 18...... Gattis named AL POTW OPS (.608) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.73)..the he set in 2014...the three-time batting champion also july 2...... Bregman named AL POTW Astros ‘pen has stranded 77.2% of its inherited runners ranks second in the Majors in batting average (.332). july 2...... Bregman named AL POTM july 7...... Tucker makes MLB debut this year, the third-best mark in the Majors. july 8...... Five Astros named All-Stars alexander the great: 3B Alex Bregman has enjoyed july 9...... HSA approves lease extension at MMP ready for lift-off: The Astros have also been one of a breakout 2018 season, as he leads the Astros and july 11...... Astros record 8th sellout of 2017 the best offensive teams in the Majors, posting 500 ranks eighth in the AL in OPS...he also leads the As- july 11...... Pérez makes MLB debut runs scored, the second-highest total in MLB behind tros in RBI (64) and home runs (20), and has already july 13...... Morton added to AL All-Star Team Boston (530)...the Astros have posted a .768 OPS set a new single-season career-high for home runs... july 17.....Bregman named All-Star Game MVP on the year, which ranks fourth in the Majors behind by reaching the 20-homer mark, Bregman joined 3B the Red Sox (.801), Yankees (.793) and Cubs (.771). Morgan Ensberg (24 HR in 2005) as the only two third basemen in franchise history to hit 20+ homers road warriors: The Astros have been the top team in prior to the All-Star Game...he is also the third player MLB on the road, as their 32-14 (.696) road record is in franchise history to record 51 extra-base hits before the best in baseball...Houston has posted the best ERA the All-Star Break of a single season, joining Lance (2.75), OPS (.807) and runs/game (5.72) on the road. Berkman (56 in 2001; 55 in 2008) and Jeff Bagwell (52 in 1997, 51 in 1994).

UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL) Date Time Opponent Pitchers Television Friday, July 20 9:07 at Los Angeles (AL) LHP (7-8, 3.75) vs. TBA AT&T SportsNet SW Saturday, July 21 6:15 at Los Angeles (AL) RHP Justin Verlander (9-5, 2.29) vs. TBA FOX Sunday, July 22 3:07 at Los Angeles (AL) RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (10-4, 3.77) vs. TBA AT&T SportsNet SW All Astros games are broadcast in English on SportsTalk 790 AM in Houston, the flagship station of the Astros Radio Network. La Ranchera, 850 AM, is the flagship of the club’s Spanish Radio Network.

WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS 2017 | AL Champions 2017 | NL CHampions 2005 AL West Champions 2017 | AL Wild Card 2015 | NL Wild Card 2004, 2005 | NL Central Champions 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 | NL West Champions 1980, 1986 pack ‘em in: The Astros have sold out eight times this goin’ deep: The Astros have homered in 24 consecutive road games, which season, including all three games during which they distributed Replica is a club record streak and ties the second-longest streak in MLB history World Series Championship Rings...this marks their most sellouts in a with the 1996 Orioles, behind only the 2018 A’s (27 games)...the previous single season since 2008 (15 sellouts). franchise record was 20 games set from April 30-June 10, 2000. looking to the future: Astros prospects OF Yordan Alvarez and RHP what a series: DH became the first player in Astros franchise were both named to the 2018 SiriusXM All-Star Futures history to post consecutive five-RBI games, doing so from June 12-13 at Game...Alvarez started at first base for the World Team, going 1x3 with a OAK...by doing so, Gattis also tied the franchise record for RBI in con- walk...Whitley was unable to participate due to injury. secutive games (10), also set by Jeff Bagwell (2001) and J.R. Towles (2007)...for his efforts, Gattis was named the AL Player of the Week, his heroics in houston: The Astros have posted six walkoff wins this season, first-career Player of the Week award. which ties for the most in the American League...3B Alex Bregman has been responsible for four of those walkoff wins, while his three walkoff hits dynamic duo: DH Evan Gattis and 3B Alex Bregman became the first are the most in the American League. players in Astros history to record 30 RBI in a single month of June, top- ping the previous franchise record of 29 set by Jimmy Wynn (1967) and the best around: RHP Justin Verlander has been arguably the top Jose Cruz (1984). in the Majors this season in what is his first full-season with Houston... Verlander leads the Majors in innings pitched (137.2) and WHIP (0.84), Alex’s accolades: 3B Alex Bregman was named the AL Player of the while ranking among the top-five AL pitchers in strikeout to walk ratio (7.17, Month for June and the AL Player of the Week (week ending July 1) 2nd), opponent batting average (.184, 3rd), ERA (2.29, 4th) and strikeouts on the same day...marked his first-career montly award, and first-career (172, 4th)...was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for May, and the AL weekly award. Player of the Week for the week of April 9-15. three-peat: For just the sixth time in franchise history, the Astros connected up the charts: RHP Justin Verlander has amassed 2,588 strikeouts in for back-to-back-to-back home runs on June 20 vs. TB with CF George his career, which ranks 26th in history...he entered Springer, 3B Alex Bregman and 2B Jose Altuve turning the trick...prior the season ranking 42nd in strikeouts and has moved up 16 spots over the to June 20, the last time the Astros hit three straight homers was on May first four months of the season. 2, 2008 vs. MIL, hit by , Lance Berkman and . strikeouts, all-time, mlb history (#23-28) 23. David Cone - 2668 26. Justin Verlander - 2588 no blemishes: SS posted a 70-game streak without an 24. Chuck Finley - 2610 27. Warren Spahn - 2583 error from Sept. 20, 2017-June 6, 2018, which marked a new franchise 25. - 2607 28. Bob Feller - 2581 record for a , besting Roger Metzger’s previous record of 59 games set in 1976. franchise leaderboards: 2B Jose Altuve, who has played the last seven years with the Astros (2011-17) and is signed on for another seven (2018- record pitching run: The 128 runs allowed by Astros pitchers after 51 24) is steadily moving up the franchise leaderboards...below are the Astros games was the lowest total at that point in a season in the live-ball era franchise rankings for runs and hits: runs scored (#8-10) and hits (#6-8): (since 1920)...previously, the lowest total had been posted by the 1968 hits, astros history (#6-8) Runs scored, astros history (#8-10) Indians staff, which allowed 130 runs after 51 games. 6. - 1448 8. Bob Watson - 640 7. Jose Altuve - 1379 9. Jose Altuve - 624 one for the ages: RHP Gerrit Cole fired a 16-strikeout, one-hit complete 8. Terry Puhl - 1357 10. Bill Doran - 611 game shutout on May 4 at ARI, his first career shutout and second career complete game...the 16 strikeouts marked a career-high, and tied the cole train: RHP Gerrit Cole set an Astros franchise record for strikeouts second-most by a pitcher in a single game in Astros history with Randy prior to the All-Star Game of a single season with 177 in 20 starts...the Johnson (Aug. 28, 1998 vs. PIT), (Sept. 9, 1987 vs. SF) previous record was held by RHP , who posted 167 strikeouts and (Sept. 10, 1968 at CIN)...was 2 strikeouts shy of the club in 22 starts prior to the 1986 All-Star Game...Cole currently ranks third in record of 18 set by Wilson on July 14, 1968 at CIN. the Majors in strikeouts behind (188) and (182). 10 in a row: During the Astros four-game series at CLE from May 24-27, starting strong: Thru his first seven starts with the Astros, RHP Gerrit Jose Altuve set a club record with hits in 10 consecutive at-bats... Altuve Cole tallied 77 strikeouts, the most by a pitcher in MLB history through his had held the previous franchise record of recording hits in eight consecutive first seven starts with a team. at-bats, which he set in 2017...the last Major League player to record hits in 10 or more consecutive at-bats was from 2015-16 (Elias). clutch city: 1B and 3B Alex Bregman rank first and fifth in the Majors in batting average with runners in , with Gurriel joining joe: On May 7 at OAK, OF George Springer (6x6) became the first checking in at .450 (36x80) and Bregman at .392 (31x79). player in franchise history to record six hits in a 9.0-inning game...the only other player in club history to post six hits in a game was Hall of Famer streaker: 1B Yuli Gurriel is on active 12-game , which is tied , who went 6x6 in a 12.0-inning contest on July 8, 1965 at MIL. for the longest active streak in the Majors and ties the longest hitting streak by an Astro this season, previously reached by Gurriel, 3B Alex Bregman extra salami: OF became the first player in club history and SS Carlos Correa. to hit 2 grand slams in a single month of April...prior to Reddick, the last Astros player to hit multiple grand slams in a single calendar month was all-star worthy: RHP Collin McHugh has been one of the best relievers 1B Jeff Bagwell, who hit 2 in May of 2001. in the Majors this season, as he’s posted a 5-0 record and a 0.96 ERA (5ER/46.2IP) with 60 strikeouts...among AL relievers, he ranks first in WHIP altuve 1k: 2B Jose Altuve played in his 1,000th career game on April 17 (0.71) and second in ERA. at SEA, becoming the 20th player in club history to appear in 1,000 games for the Astros...his 1,272 hits ranked 26th all-time by a player within his give him the gold: 1B Yuli Gurriel leads all AL first basemen in “scoop rate” first 1,000 games, and were the 2nd-most by a foreign-born player behind on balls thrown in the dirt (92.6%, 25-of-27, per STATS). ...of the 25 players to record more hits, 18 are Hall of Famers. lumberjackin!: DH Evan Gattis shook off a tough start to the season and the big bang: OF George Springer became the first player in MLB history to has been one of the AL’s top sluggers this summer...has posted 19 home hit leadoff home runs in consecutive Opening Day games, doing so in each runs and 63 RBI on the season after totaling just one home run and eight of the last two seasons (Elias)...Springer and Terry Puhl (1978, 1980) are RBI thru his first 32 games...since May 12, he has tallied 55 RBI, the most the only players in franchise history to hit leadoff homers on Opening Day... in the AL in that span by five RBI ahead of J.D. Martinez (50 RBI). Springer has posted five leadoff homers this year, tied for the most in MLB. winner winner: RHP Charlie Morton (11-2) became the first Astro to post double a streak: Astros prospect IF Randy César posted a 42-game 11 wins prior to the All-Star Game since LHP Dallas Keuchel in 2015 (11-4). hitting streak at Double A Corpus Christi, which was the longest streak in the history of the League and the longest ever by an Astros minor dirty dozen: The Astros won 12 consecutive games from June 6-18, tying league player...broke a streak that had held for 40+ years, as the previous the franchise-record winning streak, accomplished twice previously, from record was 37 games, set by Bobby Treviño in 1969. Aug. 27-Sept. 8, 2004, and from Sept. 3-14, 1999. luhnow extended: On June 18, Astros Owner and Chairman the incredible journey: The Astros won 11 consecutive road games from announced a promotion and contract extension for now President of June 7-28, which tied the longest road winning streak in club history (also Baseball Operations and General , which will keep May 14-June 5, 2017)...the first 10 wins of this streak came during a sin- him with the Astros through at least the 2023 season. gle undefeated road trip from June 7-17, that saw the Astros sweep the Rangers (4-0), A’s (3-0) and Royals (3-0)...this marked just the seventh this is home: On July 9, at its public Board meeting, the Harris County - undefeated road trip of 10-or-more games in the Majors dating back to Houston Sports Authority Board of Directors voted to approve an extension the 1953 season...other teams to accomplish this were the 2017 Indians of the Astros lease at Minute Maid Park through 2050...the home for the (11-0), 2002 Athletics (10-0), 2002 Mariners (10-0), 1992 Braves (10-0), Astros since 2000, the original lease agreement was set to expire in March 1957 Reds (12-0) and the 1953 Yankees (14-0). of 2030.