Astros vs. Rays Game Highlights (8/12/24) | MLB Highlights

And tonight it's a marquee pitching matchup with right hander Taj Bradley taking the hill against Astros Ace Framber Valdez in the series opener from Tropicana field. Bradley was the pitcher of the month in the American League in July, but his last couple of starts, he has run into a little bit of a wall and he allowed five runs in four and two thirds innings in a 52 loss to ST Louis. His last time out, Jose Altuve stands in the lead off the ball game for the Astros chopper by the mound that's going to be charged by walls and he gets it across to Yandy Diaz had plenty of time. Congrats to Bregy and also Jordan Alvarez, not often in DC , one team have two players share American League player of the week, but that's the case for Bregman and Jordan Alvarez and well deserved. I mean, between him and Jordan Alvarez, they really have been driving this offense. Alex Bregman goes, he continues his incredible tear. Bregman hits number 18 on the year and the Astros jump in front one to nothing. That's a heck of a way to celebrate winning player of the week is getting off to an electric start by hitting a bomb here in Tampa Bay, Brady bomb on the board three straight games with a home run for Bregman puts the Astros in front, here's Jordan and he out on strikes, disappeared on him. That is such a special pitcher, Taj. He throws it with such great arm speed and conviction and that ball just kind of buries itself out of the zone two out no one on for Janu Diaz and there's a swing and a miss and a cutter and he's down on three pitches. So Bradley hits well in the first and still gives up a run on the Bregman homer from valdez is going to take the mound for Houston Astros. This will be his 21st start of the season. That 20th start of the season was on this road trip in where he took a no hitter into eight and two thirds innings. Caballero hitting 2 42 97 on base percentage, eight homers, 31 RBIs swing and a Miss who's been getting a lot of swing and miss lately strikes out to start this one. Nobody on for Carlson that struck right back to the middle and a base hit off the bat of Carlson. The Rays get a base runner. Now we get that first hit out of the way. He did do that for eight and two thirds his last time out and this time it takes only one third. So combined that's a no hitter right over nine innings. And that's the first hit one on and one out for Yandy Diaz right handed, hitting first baseman and a pro picks up his second strikeout and another strikeout with the curveball. And there's two the inning sharp breakdown and that's where he likes to locate that curveball when he is good. He is down the bottom part of the zone with that pitch, ground ball towards a couple of a strike to singleton and that will do it for the rays in the first one, hit one left on Astros lead after one from valdez back to the mound allowed a one out single to Carlson got a couple of punch outs in the first as well to lead it off here for the. That's just a great pitch tough for him to pull the trigger as Deluca goes down looking, using that two seam action to get back to the inside corner of the ND anderson strike zone. But again, 96 with that kind of movement, you don't see that too often. He had five strikeouts in his last start and eight and two thirds. He's up to four strikeouts getting Siri waving a pitch in the dirt with back to back strikeouts here in the inning. Me got the game winning run batted in yesterday, waving a from strikes out the side, getting me to chase the pitch down below the zone. So one on one out now in the third inning. Here's Jose Altuve line drive base hit, no problem for Jose Altuve with his 143rd hit of the year. Kyle Snyder with a quick word for his right hander, Todd Bradley, two runners on and only one out of a chance tonight already with Bregman already going deep. Bregman has a seven game hitting streak and a wave and miss and 99 on the fastball to get it by Bregman in the way this inning open. That's a big, big out right there. That's fastball of the night from Bradley. But now he deals with Jordan Alvarez who he did fan his first time. Jordan hits one through the middle base hit that's going to score a run around. Third is Chas mccormick to third goes Jose Altuve 2 to 0 Astros when one player of the week doesn't get it done. The other one does Jer Diaz, the catcher drives one field, forget about it. Five nothing Astros. The fast break offense continues here in Tampa Bay after a huge weekend in Beantown turning this place into the thunderdome. Jr Diaz connects on a big fly to left center. His 12th home run of the year takes over the team lead with 66 runs batted in from valdez. Well, you just hope he gets out of the rhythm that he was in. Wow. Was he tough first couple innings spanning the side in the second Taylor walls to start it right hand batter 32 toward the line and right leon is there and now he misplayed it, that's gonna fall fair walls on his way to third. Already. The throw comes back toward the infield and he's standing on the bag at third base. This is just a routine fly ball to right field, you know, down that line. He gets there and realizes, oh, I'm going too far. That's a huge break and we know valdez can get irritated. We'll see if that gets him off his game, got him pitch down and in Frommer picks up strikeout number six and gets the first out of the third inning, first pitch to Caballero and here's Caballero sending a fly ball to right Leon with a chance he'll make the catch and a tag at third walls will score and the rays are on the board to make it a 5 to 1 game. Taj Bradley back out there. 78 pitches gave up four runs in the third. Yordan Alvarez drove in one of those with a single and he ropes one down the right field side, fair ball towards the wall, digging it out of the corner is Deluca but Jordan will stroll into second base with a double. The big man continues to stay on fire with the one out and one on here is Jeremy Pena. Jeremy goes the other way and that is going to be a tough play knocking it down and keeping it on the infield and preventing Jordan from scoring is Christopher Mll but Jeremy Pena with an infield hit and the Astros have runners on the corners that's going to be ball four good job by Singleton laying off pitch off the plate and that will load them up for jake Myers and that's going to be the end of the evening for Bradley. He will have gone four and a third after pitching four and two thirds in his last outing Jake myers up against Kevin Kelly. There's no room for him everywhere you look, there's an Astro towards the middle glove. There flipped a short for one. Myers beats the turn. That will be a fielder's choice and an RB I for jake Christopher more and Taylor Walsh tried to hurry up for that double play but jake Speed beat the throw and now it's a 6 to 1 Astros lead from has struck out six hasn't walked. Anyone has allowed two hits gave up a run in the third when he gets here on a breaking ball down. And in that strikeout number seven from gets the first out of the fifth. That was just a nasty breaking ball down. Oh yeah. Throws him on the outside edge brom. Picking up back to back Hayes has eight in the game. The right hand batting Taylor walls. Why ball well, tagged left center field mccormick on the run. It's gonna one hop the wall wall will head into second and hang on there with a double. Here's Alex Jackson rays. Catcher struck out his last time picks up another strikeout three more strikeouts in the fifth. He's got nine in the game. He's one shy of his 10th strikeout game for the fourth time in the last six. Caballero was driven in the only run for the race with a sack fly in the third that brought in Taylor Walls. Tough play for Bregman, fair ball off balance throw. Bregg is so good at that play from deep and foul territory. Bregman puts it on the money for John Singleton for the first out. He's always been very good at moving to his right throwing back across his body makes a good exchange. But watch him come over the top to make sure he gives a good strong throw over there to john Singleton. First time from has issued a walk tonight and it comes with two outs in the sixth inning and that will be the last batter that Frommer will face Joepa. It comes out as Broer is over 100 pitches on the night. He will leave after five and two thirds innings. Frommer will leave with his team leading 6 to 1 good night again for Bromberg striking out nine kind of trying to read the situation. Yeah. Yeah. And, and really good at a fantasy sport probably came in last place. He looks very sad too. That's not a happy clown. What a, what a wonderful payoff for the big loser. We head to the bottom of the ninth. The Astros trying to go with three pitchers to get 27 outs. Tonight, we saw from Valdez pick up 17 outs. Taylor Scott picked up another four outs and now the last six are hoping to pin on caleb or who had a very impressive 123 inning in the eighth. Cameron me will pinch hit for Yandy Diaz to open the bottom of the ninth inning. That is a bullpen that's been working hard and that's a good way to start it. Another strikeout Eisner down on strikes first out of the ninth inning. Here's Christopher MLL zero for three ball hit pretty well by MLL to left field. Chas mccormick near the fence and he puts it away right in front of the wall for out. Number two. Well, the rays are down to their final out here is right handed batting Johnny Deluca that's popped up. John Singleton gives it a look. He might be able to have room. He does. That's the final out. The Astros win it 6 to 1 that is now six consecutive wins on this road trip and they are in first place by themselves moving a half game ahead of Seattle. Lots of smiles all the way around. Glover. This road trip has been amazing after a really tough loss to start the trip six in a row.