Sousa Implodes, Astros Crushed by Yankees 9-3

In the end, Bennett Sousa just wasn’t up to the task.    Yankees 9 Astros 3.       

The Astros would once again get on the board first.    Isaac Paredes drew a two out walk and scored on a Jose Altuve double.     However, the lead was short-lived as in the bottom of the same frame, Ben Rice would hit a solo shot.   

The Yankees weren’t done.    Luis Garcia singled, and advanced to third on a throwing error by Christian Walker. George Lombard Jr brought him in giving the New York their first lead of the night, 2-1.

That remained the score until Daulton Varsho launched his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot to center field to tie the game at 2.

In the bottom of the fourth the Yankees were active.    Chisholm, Wells, and Caballero each singled which generated a 3-2 lead. 

That remained the score until the 7th.   Jose Altuve walked, Varsho doubled moving him to third and moments later, Walker would reach on an error which scored Altuve.     Unfortunately, that was all the runs the Astros could generate that inning.     Varsho was thrown out at home, and Vazquez and Pena struck out swinging with runners on.     

The night would get away from them after that.    New York’s first four batters in the 7th inning would all score. By the time the damage was over, it was a 7-3 deficit.    Sousa’s final stat line was abysmal: 0.1 IP   5 hits allowed, 4 ER, and a walk.  All nine Yankees batted in the 7th.     

The Astros in the 8th sent Alvarez, Paredes & Altuve to the plate but Michael Fulmer set them down in order. Any hopes of making it close at that point went out the window as in the home 8th, Luis Garcia would launch a two-run shot to right, scoring Ben Rice.   That made things 9-3, and that would be your final.     

The only Yankees player without a hit was Lombard Jr.     He did record an error for a fifth straight game.   

For the night, the Yankees outhit the Astros 13 to 4.    

Odds & Ends:

With the loss, the Astros have dipped below the .500 mark once again.   They now sit at 66-67.    

Thursday’s rubber match at 6:05 pm CDT will pit Hayden Wesneski against Gerrit Cole.    Rain is expected in the forecast.    

With his two-hit performance on Wednesday, Daulton Varsho now has a 6-game hit streak.