Inside the Astros

Houston Astros Avoid Sweep As McCormick, Brown Power Team Past Twins

The Houston Astros are back in the win column after avoiding the sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins on Easter Sunday.
Kade Kistner|
Houston Astros Avoid Sweep As McCormick, Brown Power Team Past Twins
Houston Astros Avoid Sweep As McCormick, Brown Power Team Past Twins

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Houston Astros

It's been a lackluster start to the 2023 MLB season for the Houston Astros (4-6), but on Easter Sunday they got back in the win column. In a dominating fashion no less. 

Trying to avoid the sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins (6-3), rookie starting pitcher Hunter Brown acted as the stop gap. His 7.0 innings pitched without allowing an earned run and striking out seven was a vastly superior performance compared to his last one. 

Like any good starter, he gave his team a chance.

The offense used the opportunity given and repaid Brown with four runs of support in the first seven innings. Center fielder Chas McCormick blasted a much needed two-run home run to put Houston on top in the third inning. He added another RBI with a single in the fifth that scored Jeremy Peña.

The latter also added two more runs in the eighth when he doubled home Jose Abreu and Yordan Alvarez to make it 5-1, the final score. 

Closer Ryan Pressly shut the door in the bottom of the ninth in a non-close situation. Still, Pressly hasn't been dominant this season, at least by his standards. So seeing him work a perfect ninth was encouraging. 

The Astros will now travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates for a three-game series that will conclude their first road trip.

Houston will look to take full advantage of the struggling Pirates squad and reclaim their spot at the top of the American League West. 

More From SI's Inside The Astros:

  1. Could Mike Trout Request a Trade to the Houston Astros?
  2. Mariners Fans Inexplicably Outraged Following Houston Astros' Social Media Post About Sweep
  3. Report: Former Astros Pitcher Fiers' Contract Terminated By CPBL Club
  4. Six Houston Astros Declared Free Agents
  5. Watch: Yordan Álvarez's Home Run Wins Astros World Series
  6. Lucas Giolito Claims All Teams Were Cheating in 2017
  7. Dusty Baker Makes His Thoughts Known on Bonds and Judge Records
  8. Is it Time to Move on From the Houston Astros Cheating Scandal?
  9. Is There Any Hope for an Aging Yuli Gurriel?
  10. Astros' Álvarez Stopped Striking Out and Became the Best Hitter in Baseball

Make sure to follow Inside the Astros on Twitter @InsideAstrosSI!

Published
Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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