HOUSTON ASTROS (25-18) AT OAKLAND ATHLETICS (26-18) RHP LUIS GARCIA (1-3, 3.34) VS. LHP COLE IRVIN (3-4, 3.02) Thursday, May 20, 2021 • Oakland Coliseum • Oakland, CA • 2:37 p.m. CT • AT&T SportsNet SW • SportsTalk 790 AM • KLAT 1010 AM GAME #44 ..................... ROAD #20 TODAY’S GAME: The Astros will try to win the rub- TODAY’S AVAILABILITIES: Astros pregame ABOUT THE RECORD ber game of this three-game series in Oakland today availabilities will be from 12:20-1 p.m. CT today with Overall Record: .............................25-18 behind rookie RHP Luis Garcia...he’ll be opposed by Dusty Baker available at approx. 12:20 p.m. CT... Home Record: ................................15-9 LHP Cole Irvin, who’s gotten roughed up in two starts the postgame availabilities will be immediately after --with Roof Open: .............................5-2 against the Astros this season, to the tune of an 0-2 today’s game and will be available at the same link: --with Roof Closed: .........................10-7 record and a 7.45 ERA (8ER/9.2IP). • Meeting ID: 946 6514 2342 --with Roof Open/Closed: .................0-0 • Password: 917118 Road Record: .................................10-9 TODAY’S STARTER: RHP Luis Garcia, who • Link: https://zoom.us/j/94665142342?pwd=dkNxeHN- Current Streak: ............................Won 1 was ranked as the Astros No. 6 prospect entering NOW9WSkZoRFdZQS9vQU5LUT09 Last Homestand: ..............................8-2 the season, has been solid in his brief Major League Current Road Trip: ............................1-1 Last 5 Games: ..................................4-1 career, posting a 3.23 ERA (17ER/47.1IP) in 13 career ASTROS+: The Astros (+62) rank second in the Ma- Last 10 Games: ................................8-2 regular season games (seven starts)...he’s allowed a jors in run differential, trailing CWS (+73)...in their last Series Record (prior to current series): ......7-5-1 .195 opponent batting average and a .681 OPS, while 26 games, the Astros are 18-8 with a +63 differential. Sweeps: ............................................2-2 allowing just 33 hits in his 47.1 innings pitched. When Scoring 4 or More Runs: ......22-7 BOMBS AWAY!: 2B Jose Altuve hit his 138th When Scoring 3 or Fewer Runs: .... 3-11 WINNING WAYS: The Astros are 18-8 dating back career home run last night, which tied him with Jose Shutouts: ..........................................2-1 to April 22, and have won six of their seven series Cruz for ninth in home runs in Astros history...Altuve In One-Run Games: .........................4-6 played since that date...additionally, the Astros have is now just one home run shy of tying Bob Watson In Two-Run Games: .........................4-2 won seven of their last eight contests, including a six- (139) for eighth on that all-time list. vs. Left-Handed Starters: .............. 11-11 vs. Right-Handed Starters: .............14-7 game winning streak from May 11-16. During the Day: .................................8-5 THE HITMAN: With another two hits last night, 2B At Night: ........................................17-13 WHERE WE STAND: The Astros are seven games Jose Altuve moved closer to tying Cesar Cedeño for When Scoring First: ........................19-8 above .500, which matches their season high, and in fourth place on the franchise’s all-time hits list. Opponent Scores First: ..................6-10 second place in the AL West, a half game back of Oak- HITS IN ASTROS CLUB HISTORY Outhit Opponent: ............................21-7 land...a win today would move the Astros into first place 1. Craig Biggio: 3060 4. Cesar Cedeño: 1659 Outhit by Opponent: .......................3-10 for the first time since April 8, when they were 6-1. 2. Jeff Bagwell: 2314 5. Jose Altuve: 1651 Equal Hits: ........................................1-1 3. Jose Cruz: 1937 6. Lance Berkman: 1648 When Hitting Home Run: ..............17-10 TAMING THE WEST: The Astros are 20-9 against No Home Runs: ................................8-8 the AL West this season, with winning records against STREAKING: 2B Jose Altuve has an active 13- Walkoff Home Runs: .........................0-0 Come-from-Behind Wins: .................... 7 all four divisional foes: OAK (6-3), LAA (6-3), SEA (4-3) game hitting streak heading into today’s game, in Largest Comeback: ............................. 3 and TEX (4-0)...the Astros are in the midst of 13 con- which he’s hitting .393 (22x56) with two doubles, four Losses After Leading: ........................ 10 secutive games against the AL West, going 7-2 so far. homers and nine RBI...Altuve’s current streak is the Last At-Bat Wins: ................................. 5 longest in the Majors this season, and is his personal Largest Blown Lead: ............................ 4 ON THE OFFENSIVE: The Astros lead the Majors best since hitting safely in a career-long 19 straight Extra-Inning Games: .........................2-0 in runs (229), average (.271) and in hits (400), and rank games from July 2-28, 2017. Different Batting Orders: .................... 31 second in OPS (.771), second in SLG (.435), tied for After Six Innings second in doubles (83) and third in OBP (.336)...they M-V-PIÑA: 1B Yuli Gurriel ranks second in the Lead: 20-2 ......Tied: 2-4 ........Trail: 3-12 also ave the fewest strikeouts (303) in the Majors. Majors in RBI (36), trailing only Trey Mancini (38), and After Seven Innings: Lead: 19-3 ......Tied: 4-3 ........Trail: 2-12 tied for first in doubles (15)...among AL players, Gurriel After Eight Innings: COLISEUM KINGS: This series is the Astros first ranks third in hits (51), third in OBP (.408), fourth in Lead: 22-0 ......Tied: 3-2 ........Trail: 0-16 trip back to the Coliseum since sweeping a four-game batting average, and fifth in OPS (.984). ASTROS VS. ATHLETICS (2O21): series from the A’s in Oakland on opening weekend... Overall: .............................................6-3 on the season, the Astros are 6-3 against the A’s, which GOING FOR 800: RHP Joe Smith has made 799 At Minute Maid Park: ........................1-2 includes a 5-1 record at the Coliseum, where they’ve apps., the most among active players, and is looking to At Oakland Coliseum: .......................5-1 outscored Oakland 48-16 (+32). become the 51st pitcher in MLB history to reach 800... ASTROS VS. A’S (ALL-TIME): among relievers, Smith ranks 40th in MLB history in Overall: .........................................80-78 WINSDAY: A close game last night turned into a romp apps., one shy of RHP Francisco Cordero (800g). Home Record: ..............................40-35 after Houston scored three in the 7th and 8th en route Road Record: ...............................40-43 to an 8-1 victory in Oakland...RHP Zack Greinke was THE TAXI SQUAD: The Astros Taxi Squad consists magnificent, tossing 8.0 innings, allowing just one run of two this trip: RHP Tyler Ivey and C Garrett Stubbs... THIS DATE IN ASTROS HISTORY with a season-high eight strikeouts...1B Yuli Gurriel announced yesterday, Ivey will join the active roster MAY 20 had a huge game, going 4x5 with two doubles and four tomorrow and make his Major League debut in a start. 2019 - RHP Ryan Pressly tosses a score- RBI...2B Jose Altuve got the scoring started with a less inning in the Astros 3-0 win over the leadoff homer on the first pitch of the game. MINOR LEAGUE REPORT: Astros minor league White Sox to extend his scoreless innings affiliates went 1-1 last night...updates on each club: streak to 39.0 innings and 40 appearances, LEADOFF HOMER CLUB: Including the leadoff • Triple A Sugar Land (7-5) was off yesterday and will play which dates back to Aug. 15, 2018...the streak of 40 straight scoreless appearances is a Ma- homer by 2B Jose Altuve last night, the Astros have their Home Opener tonight vs. El Paso. jor League record, while his streak of 39.0 continued to pile up leadoff home runs in their franchise • Double A Corpus Christi (5-7) was rained out yesterday consecutive scoreless innings is a franchise history, hitting 190 total, which ranks third in the Majors and will instead play a doubleheader today vs. Arkansas. record and ties as the second-longest by a since Houston debuted as a franchise in 1962...dating • Class A Asheville (6-7) downed Greenville, 6-3...C reliever in MLB history. back to 1990, the Astros lead the Major Leagues in that Korey Lee went 2x3 with a homer and three RBI. category, thanks in large part to 2B Craig Biggio (53), • Class A Fayetteville (7-7) lost to Augusta, 7-3...SS Shay CF George Springer (39) and Altuve (16). Whitcomb hit his second homer of the season. UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL) DATE TIME OPPONENT PITCHERS TELEVISION Friday, May 21 7:05 at TEX RHP Tyler Ivey (MLB debut) vs. RHP Kyle Gibson (3-0, 2.32) AT&T SportsNet SW Saturday, May 22 3:05 at TEX RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 2.70) vs. RHP Jordan Lyles (2-3, 5.93) AT&T SportsNet SW Sunday, May 23 1:35 at TEX RHP Cristian Javier (3-1, 3.27) vs. RHP Mike Foltynewicz (1-4, 5.18) AT&T SportsNet SW Monday, May 24 SCHEDULED OFF DAY All Astros games are broadcast in English on SportsTalk 790 AM in Houston, the flagship station of the Astros Radio Network. TUDN Radio KLAT 1010 AM, is the flagship of the club’s Spanish Radio Network. TODAY’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP LUIS GARCIA W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO CAREER MLB SPLITS: 2021: 1-3 3.34 8 6 35.0 26 13 13 13 40 Home/MMP: 1-3, 3.18 ERA, 6G/3GS, 8ER/22.2IP CAREER: 1-4 3.23 13 7 47.1 33 17 17 18 49 Away: 0-1, 3.28 ERA, 7G/4GS, 9ER/24.2IP vs.