AL Play In Game: "The last Stro for the Mackmen"

The Astros traveled back in time to Shibe Park to take on the A’s.  Righty Collin McHugh started for the Astros while Jack Quinn took the ball for the A’s.  The temp was a comfortable 73 degrees, but there was a 12 mph wind blowing straight out to CF.

George Springer led off the game with a single to right center.  Marwin Gonzalez bunted him to 2^nd, but Springer was thrown out at the plate by Bing Miller when he tried to score on a Jose Altuve single to left.  Correa grounded out to end the inning.  In the bottom of the first Al Simmons reached base on a single, but he was stranded at first.

In the 2^nd, Luis Valbuena led off with a single and scored on Colby Rasmus’ double to the right center gap.  Jason Castro doubled to score Rasmus.  McHugh worked a walk and with two outs Gonzalez brought in Castro with a single to center and Altuve drove in McHugh with a double to left center.  Carlos Correa walked and Quinn signaled to the dugout that he could not continue due to a sore arm.  Lefty Grove game in to end the inning.  In the A’s half, with two outs and Bill Lamar on first, Chick Galloway launched a double down the line in left.  But Lamar was thrown out by Preston Tucker as he tried to score, and the score remained 4-0 Houston.

In the 3^rd, Tucker doubled to right and Castro hit his 2 HR of the season to deep right to make the score 6-0. 

McHugh then singled and George Springer knocked one out for his own 2 run shot to give the Stros an 8-0 lead.  With one out in the bottom of the 3^rd, Calloway walked and Al Simmons went deep.  Jimmie Dykes followed that with a solo shot and the A’s were climbing back into it, 8-3.

The game and wind settled down after that and both teams were unproductive for a few innings.  McHugh tired in the 6^th and was relieved by Pat Neshak, who ended the inning.  The bullpens held serve until with one out in the 8^th Lamar drove in Jim Poole from 3^rd with a sac fly.  Houston went quietly in the 9^th and Luke Gregerson pitched a perfect 9^th to end the game.  Final Score Astros 8  A’s 4.

Congrats to Jim for a great season.  And it’s on to Cleveland for the Astros.

Some bugs were encountered with the game.  When Quinn left with his injury and Lefty Grove was brought in, there was no option to insert him into the batting order.  When he ended the inning the #9 spot stayed blank.  And after the #8 hitter ended the 2^nd, the #1 hitter led off the 3^rd – skipping the blank 9 spot.  When the 9 spot came around again in the 4^th, the game forced Jim to insert a pinch hitter.  But it did not require the pitcher to be removed and the PH stayed in the 9 spot with a “?” for his position.  When Grove was pulled the new pitcher (and a fourth pitcher later) never appeared in the lineup.   The box score shows only Quinn in the lineup, with two PH’s.  The other three pitchers only appear in the pitching section.

--submitted by T-Landers--