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Writer's pictureAlec Nava / Clutch
Jul 21, 20236 min read

Kyle Tucker Makes Diving Catch to Snag Wild Series for Astros Over Angels

Updated: Jul 23, 2023


 

An amazingly wild series between the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels ended in epic fashion.


In a series in which both teams combined for 54 runs and 14 home runs to go with seven ties and 10 lead changes, one defensive play is all it took to end it.


In the day after the Astros lost in gut-wrenching fashion on a blown six-run lead on rookie shortstop Grae Kessinger's throwing error at the bottom of the 10th, right fielder Kyle Tucker made a diving catch to secure the final out in a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Angels.


In the second game, the Astros blew a 9-3 lead and a three-run lead in the 9th and saw All-Star pitcher Framber Valdez and Gold Glove shortstop Jeremy Peña leave the game with cramps, but it was their turn to make a comeback this time around, overcoming a 7-3 deficit in the 7th inning to stun the Angels fans at Anaheim.


A three-run double from left fielder Taylor Ward off Rafael Montero seemed to have given the Angels the momentum with that exact lead, which usually would be bad for an Astros team that had 11 runners on first base in the first six innings, but this was not the case.


Centerfielder Chas McCormick's second home run was a two-run homer in the 8th off All-Star closer Carlos Estévez to cut within two, 7-5. It was his second career game with two homers.


The Angels needed one out to end the game at the top of the 9th, but third baseman Alex Bregman had other plans.


He hit a first-pitch slider from Jaime Barría to get Houston the lead for good, 8-7. Tucker followed it up with a homer of his own to end a 4-for-5 night. Bregman finished the game with four hits, the seventh time in his career he has done that.


As per usual, it wouldn't be an Angels game without superstar Shohei Ohtani making a difference. He fired his 34th home run of the season off reliever Phil Maton at the bottom of the 9th, sparking a late rally for the Halos.


They eventually got runners on first and second with two outs, but it was Tucker who stepped up as the hero on the diving catch on catcher Matt Thaiss' line drive to right field.


Left fielder Jake Meyers also had a home run for Houston, and McCormick added three hits. All of the Astros' five home runs came in the final three innings.


Third baseman Trey Cabbage had three hits and two RBI in his first MLB start, and first baseman Mike Moustakas had a solo homer at the bottom of the 2nd inning, but it was not enough as the Angels dropped their seventh straight series at home to the defending World Series champions.


The two AL West rivals combined for 32 runs in the last three innings in each of the three games of this series, the most in any three-game series since the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies had 33 combined runs in 2012.

 

Scoring

  • HOU, Top 1st: Kyle Tucker singled to left, Mauricio Dubón scored, Alex Bregman to second. 1-0 HOU

  • LAA, Bottom 2nd: Mike Moustakas homered to center (415 feet). 1-1 TIE

  • LAA, Bottom 4th: Trey Cabbage doubled to left, Matt Thaiss scored and Taylor Ward scored. 3-1 LAA

  • HOU, Top 7th: Chas McCormick homered to center (378 feet). 3-2 LAA

  • HOU, Top 7th: Jake Meyers homered to center (378 feet). 3-3 TIE

  • LAA, Bottom 7th: Zach Neto doubled to center, Andrew Velazquez scored. 4-3 LAA

  • LAA, Bottom 7th: Taylor Ward doubled to center, Mickey Moniak scored, Zach Neto scored, and Shohei Ohtani scored. 7-3 LAA

  • HOU, Top 8th: Chas McCormick homered to right center (395 feet), Alex Bregman scored. 7-5 LAA

  • HOU, Top 9th: Mauricio Dubón grounded out to third, Bligh Madris scored. 7-6 LAA

  • HOU, Top 9th: Alex Bregman homered to left center (397 feet), Grae Kessinger scored. 8-7 HOU

  • HOU, Top 9th: Kyle Tucker homered to right center (437 feet). 9-7 HOU

  • LAA, Bottom 9th: Shohei Ohtani homered to center (411 feet). 9-8 HOU

Batting

HOUSTON ASTROS

  1. Mauricio Dubón: 6 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .280 batting average, .303 on-base percentage, .391 slugging percentage

  2. Alex Bregman: 5 at-bats, 2 runs, 4 hits, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, .246 batting average, .303 on-base percentage, .398 slugging percentage

  3. Kyle Tucker: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 4 hits, 2 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, .299 batting average, .377 on-base percentage, .490 slugging percentage

  4. José Abreu: 6 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .241 batting average, .289 on-base percentage, .352 slugging percentage

  5. Chas McCormick: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 3 hits, 3 RBIs, 2 home runs, 0 walks, .280 batting average, .365 on-base percentage, .522 slugging percentage

  6. Yainer Díaz: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .267 batting average, .288 on-base percentage, .487 slugging percentage

  7. Jake Meyers: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 0 walks, .223 batting average, .306 on-base percentage, .381 slugging percentage

    1. Bligh Madris: 0 at-bats, 1 run, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .136 batting average, .240 on-base percentage, .182 slugging percentage

    2. Phil Maton: 0 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .000 batting average, .000 on-base percentage, .000 slugging percentage

  8. Grae Kessinger: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 2 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .263 batting average, .417 on-base percentage, .474 slugging percentage

  9. Martín Maldonado: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .171 batting average, .248 on-base percentage, .301 slugging percentage

    1. Corey Julks: 1 at-bat, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .279 batting average, .327 on-base percentage, .405 slugging percentage

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

  1. Zach Neto: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .247 batting average, .322 on-base percentage, .426 slugging percentage

  2. Shohei Ohtani: 4 at-bats, 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, .301 batting average, .386 on-base percentage, .665 slugging percentage

  3. Mickey Moniak: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .326 batting average, .358 on-base percentage, .632 slugging percentage

  4. Taylor Ward: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 3 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .251 batting average, .326 on-base percentage, .395 slugging percentage

  5. Mike Moustakas: 4 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI, 1 home run, 1 walk, .261 batting average, .342 on-base percentage, .448 slugging percentage

  6. Matt Thaiss: 5 at-bats, 1 run, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .254 batting average, .367 on-base percentage, .373 slugging percentage

  7. Hunter Renfroe: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .250 batting average, .299 on-base percentage, .451 slugging percentage

  8. Trey Cabbage: 3 at-bats, 0 runs, 3 hits, 2 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .600 batting average, .600 on-base percentage, .800 slugging percentage

    1. Andrew Velazquez: 0 at-bats, 1 run, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 1 walk, .211 batting average, .333 on-base percentage, .237 slugging percentage

  9. Luis Rengifo: 4 at-bats, 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 RBI, 0 home runs, 0 walks, .213 batting average, .304 on-base percentage, .329 slugging percentage

Pitching

HOUSTON ASTROS

  1. Cristian Javier: 5.0 innings pitched, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, 1 home run, 91-57 PC-ST, 4.39 ERA

  2. Joel Kuhnel: 1.2 innings pitched, 2 hits, 3 earned runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 0 home runs, 26-16 PC-ST, 10.80 ERA

  3. Rafael Montero: 1.1 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 0 home runs, 36-21 PC-ST, 6.58 ERA

  4. Phil Maton: 1.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 1 home run, 15-9 PC-ST, 2.51 ERA

LOS ANGELES ANGELS

  1. Tyler Anderson: 3.0 innings pitched, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, 0 home runs, 85-52 PC-ST, 5.17 ERA

  2. José Soriano: 1.0 innings pitched, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 0 home runs, 18-11 PC-ST, 2.87 ERA

  3. Zack Weiss: 1.2 innings pitched, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts, 0 home runs, 31-21 PC-ST, 3.86 ERA

  4. Jacob Webb: 1.1 innings pitched, 3 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 2 home runs, 24-18 PC-ST, 3.75 ERA

  5. Carlos Estévez: 1.0 innings pitched, 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 0 walks, 0 strikeouts, 1 home run, 15-10 PC-ST, 2.19 ERA

  6. Jaime Barría: 1.0 innings pitched, 3 hits, 4 earned runs, 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 2 home runs, 28-15 PC-ST, 3.77 ERA

Miscellaneous

  • Venue: Angel Stadium

  • Location: Anaheim, CA, USA

  • Temperature: 84°F

  • Weather Condition: Sunny

  • Winds: SW 7 mph (Gusts 10 mph)

  • Attendance: 34,679 (Capacity: 45,517)

  • Game Time: 3 hours, 31 minutes

  • Umpires: Carlos Torres (Home Plate), Quinn Wolcott (First Base), Ron Kulpa (Second Base), Cory Blasser (Third Base)

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