Houston Astros (42-18) at kansas city royals (26-32) rhp lance mccullers jr. (6-1, 2.71) VS. rhp jason hammel (2-6, 5.93) thursday, june 8, 2017 • kauffman stadium • kansas city, mo • 7:15 p.m. ct • ROOT SPORTS SW • kbme 790 am • la nueva 94.1 fm GAME #61 ....................... road #31 tonight’s GAME: The Astros will conclude their today’s roster move: The Astros have placed ABOUT THE RECORD 11-day, 10-game, 3-city road trip with the series finale LHP Dallas Keuchel on the 10-day DL with neck Overall Record: .............................42-18 against the Royals tonight (1-2)...the Astros have gone discomfort (retroactive to June 5)...RHP Francis Home Record: ..............................20-10 7-2 on the trip thus far, as Houston started the trip with Martes (#58) has been selected to the Major League --with Roof Open: .............................8-5 consecutive 3-game series sweeps of the Twins and roster from Triple A...RHP Collin McHugh has been --with Roof Closed: .........................12-5 Rangers...RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (6-1) will take transferred to the 60-day DL. --with Roof Open/Closed: .................0-0 the hill for Houston looking to extend his career-long Road Record: .................................22-8 all-star voting: Current Streak: ............................ Lost 2 4-game winning streak, while the Royals will start RHP Jose Altuve leads AL 2nd Last Homestand: ..............................6-4 Jason Hammel (2-6). basemen by over 200K votes after trailing by 500 last Current Road Trip: ............................7-2 week...Carlos Correa ranks 2nd among shortstops, Last 5 Games: ..................................3-2 no fly zone: RHP Lance McCullers Jr., the AL trailing by 180K...also in the top 10 at their positions: C Last 10 Games: ................................8-2 May Pitcher of the Month, ranks 2nd in the Majors Brian McCann (3rd), 1B Yuli Gurriel (5th), DH Evan Series Record (prior to current series): ....15-3-0 in groundball rate (62.3%) and 4th in the AL in strike- Gattis (5th), 3B Alex Bregman (5th), OF George Sweeps: ............................................6-1 outs per 9.0 innings (10.46)...there has never been Springer (7th), OF Carlos Beltrán (8th)...the 2017 When Scoring 4 or More Runs: ......34-6 a starting pitcher since 1987 (the year groundball % All-Star Game ballot is available exclusively online via When Scoring 3 or Fewer Runs: ....8-12 was first tracked) who has recorded a groundball rate MLB.com, club sites and mobile devices. Shutouts: ..........................................5-2 above 60% while posting a strikeouts per 9.0 mark In One-Run Games: .........................9-4 in a groove: In Two-Run Games: .........................7-5 above 10.00...below are McCullers’ numbers and the OF George Springer, the reigning AL vs. Left-Handed Starters: ..................9-7 3 pitchers who have come the closest to hitting these Player of the Week, owns a 12-game hitting streak, vs. Right-Handed Starters: ........... 33-11 marks since 1987: which is tied for the longest active streak in MLB with During the Day: ...............................12-4 PITCHER YEAR GB% K/9 Elvis Andrus...has hit .436 (24x55) with 7 HR and 14 At Night: ........................................30-14 1. Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU) 2017 62.3% 10.46 RBI during the streak...this is his 2nd-longest streak When Scoring First: ........................26-8 2. Clayton Kershaw (LAD) 2014 52.7% 10.85 of the year (13 games, 4/30-5/14). Opponent Scores First: ................16-10 3. Roger Clemens (TOR) 1998 52.7% 10.39 Outhit Opponent: ............................34-4 4. Carlos Carrasco (CLE) 2015 51.4% 10.58 chase for 2k: OF Norichika Aoki is 3 hits shy of Outhit by Opponent: .......................5-12 2,000 between MLB (713) and Nippon Professional Equal Hits: ........................................3-2 streakers: When Hitting Home Run: ..............35-13 The Astros posted an 11-game win- Baseball (1,284)...2,000-hit mark garners automatic No Home Runs: ................................7-5 ning streak prior to losing their last 2 games...it was entrance into the Meikyu-Kai (translates to The Gold- Walkoff Home Runs: .........................1-0 the 3rd-longest single-season winning streak in club en Players Club) an equivalent to the Baseball HOF. Come-from-Behind Wins: .................. 21 history, and the longest winning streak by an MLB Largest Comeback: ............................. 6 club this season. best record in baseball: The Astros enter Losses After Leading: ........................ 10 longest single-season win streaks in astros history today with the best record in baseball at 42-18, leading Last At-Bat Wins: ................................. 5 T1. 12 games from Aug. 27-Sept. 8, 2004 the Majors in wins and winning percentage (.700). Largest Blown Lead: ............................ 6 T1. 12 games from Sept. 3-14, 1999 Extra-Inning Games: .........................4-0 3. 11 games from May 25-June 5, 2017 best start ever: At 42-18, the Astros are off to Different Batting Orders: .................... 52 their best 60-game start in club history, a full 5.0 games After Six Innings: road dogs: Lead: 32-3 ......Tied: 1-3 ........Trail: 9-12 Houston also posted a club-record, 11- better than their previous record (37-23 set in 1999, After Seven Innings: game road win streak from May 14-June 5...was the 1980)...the best 61-game start in club history is 38-23, Lead: 36-2 ......Tied: 2-3 ........Trail: 4-13 longest single-season road win streak since NYM won also set in 1999 and 1980. After Eight Innings: 11 straight in 2015 (CHC won 12 straight, 2015-16). Lead: 39-0 ......Tied: 2-3 ........Trail: 1-15 goin’ deep: The Astros have homered in 15 straight Astros vs. royals (2017): ABOUT THE streak: The Astros 11-game winning games (32 HR in the streak), which is tied for the Overall: .............................................2-4 streak was notable in several ways: 2nd-longest streak in club history (also 2001)...the At Minute Maid Park: ........................1-2 • it marked the longest winning streak by a Major League club record streak is 18 games, set in 2000...the Astros At Kauffman Stadium: .......................1-2 Astros vs. royals (all-time): club since 2016, when Cleveland had a 14-game streak. have hit a Major League-best 94 HR in 2017. • the Astros outscored opponents by 50 runs during the Overall: .........................................31-30 central issues: Record in Houston: .......................14-17 streak, as they scored 89 and allowed 39. The Astros have recorded a Record in Kansas City: .................17-13 • Houston hit .323 (130x402) with 28 HR and a .389 OBP series win in 15-of-19 total series this season, and a over the streak...the pitching staff posted a 3.27 ERA win tonight would give them a tie in this 4-game series (36ER/99IP) with 126 strikeouts and 94 hits alowed. in KC...the 4 series where Houston did not record a THIS DATE IN ASTROS HISTORY: • streak featured 3 consecutive sweeps: vs. BAL (May 26- series win all came against AL Central foes: 1-2 loss vs. june 8 28), at MIN (May 29-31), at TEX (June 2-4)...the Astros KC (4/7-9), 1-2 loss at CLE (4/25-27), 3-game sweep last swept 3 straight series from April 24-May 3, 2015. vs. CLE (5/19-21), current 4-game series at KC (1-2). 1969 - Private Larry Dierker, on a 24-hour • OF Carlos Beltrán has been a member of the Astros in pass from the Army while fulfilling his military 12 up: commitment in Louisiana, outduels Steve each of their last two 11-game winning streaks...hit .375 The Astros lead the AL West by 12.0 games, Carlton for a 2-1, 11-inning win over the Car- with 5 HR and 10 RBI in the 2004 12-game streak, and and have led by as many as 14.0 this year...prior to dinals in the Astrodome. Dierker allows just 5 .324 with 3 HR and 8 RBI in the 2017 11-game streak. 2017, they had never held a divisional lead of more 5 hits and caps his night by driving in Julio than 13.0 games...the Astros became the 3rd team in Gotay with the game-winner in the 11th. about last night: Despite a late, 3-run 8th MLB history to hold a 14.0-game divisional lead thru inning rally, Houston fell to Kansas City, 7-5...LHP 58 games of a season: also the 1880 Chicago White all-time doubles list all-time rbi list Dallas Keuchel was scratched from his start, so the Stockings (40g) and the 2001 Mariners (50g). RANK 2B PLAYER RANK rbi PLAYER 26 560 Eddie Murray 42 1579 Miguel Cabrera newly-recalled RHP Dayan Diaz (3ER/2.2IP) was 560 Jeff Kent 43 1577 Adrian Beltre thru 60: 28 549 Carlos Beltrán 44 1575 Jake Beckley thrust into his 1st career Major League start...C Brian Houston is 1 of 31 teams in MLB history to 549 Chipper Jones 45 1560 Carlos Beltrán McCann (4x5, HR, 2RBI) tied his career high for hits win 42 of its first 60 games of a season...last 2 teams 30 548 Alex Rodriguez 46 1555 Willie McCovey 31 547 Manny Ramirez 47 1550 Fred McGriff in a game...RF George Springer (1x3) pushed his hit to do this: 2001 Mariners (46-12), 2016 Cubs (42-18). streak to 12 games. UPCOMING SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHING MATCHUPS (ALL TIMES CENTRAL) Date Time Opponent Pitchers Television Fri., June 9 7:10 Los Angeles (AL) RHP Brad Peacock (3-0, 2.30) vs. RHP Matt Shoemaker (5-3, 4.12) ROOT SPORTS SW Sat., June 10 3:10 Los Angeles (AL) RHP Mike Fiers (3-2, 4.84) vs.