Two Errors, Two Homers, Too Many Missed Chances: Rays 0, Astros 2

The Tampa Bay Rays came into Sunday’s game against the Houston Astros riding a nine-game homer streak. That streak came to an end on a day of a shutout loss, when the lucky breaks did not go the Rays’ way.

Houston wasted no time accepting two unexpected gifts in the bottom of the first. Ben Williamson could not field Jose Altuve’s ground ball, and Hunter Feduccia’s throw sailed into center field on Altuve’s stolen base attempt, allowing the Astros’ second baseman to race all the way to third with only one out.

That usually ends with a run crossing the plate. Instead, Rays’ starter Mason Englert had other ideas.

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After striking out Yordan Alvarez, Englert watched Isaac Paredes lift a harmless fly ball to shallow right, then froze Christian Walker with another strikeout to escape the inning unscathed. It was an impressive bit of damage control that could have easily unraveled after two defensive mistakes.

The Rays had survived their own sloppy start. Now they just needed to take advantage of it.

They almost did an inning later.

Chandler Simpson lined a single into center, promptly stole second, and put pressure on Houston’s defense with his legs. Victor Mesa Jr. followed with a walk, putting two aboard with two outs, but the Rays never found the swing to bring them home. Richie Palacios bounced into a force play, quietly ending the promising inning.

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This would become a familiar theme.

Englert continued matching Houston pitch for pitch through the middle innings, getting plenty of help from a defense that settled down after its rocky opening.

Taylor Trammell provided one of the afternoon’s defensive highlights with a leaping grab in center to rob Jonathan Aranda in the third, helping preserve the scoreless tie.

Then came the bottom of the fourth.

Good hitters punish mistakes, and Englert left a fastball near the center of the plate for Christian Walker. Walker launched a solo homer into right field to finally break the deadlock, turning what had been a well-pitched chess match into a game where every remaining opportunity carried a little extra weight.