Mauricio Dubón finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base, while the Astros bullpen combined to allow two runs over nine innings in the Astros 7-3, series-opening win over the Giants on Monday night. The Astros lost their starting pitcher due to an injury for the second straight night, as Luis Garcia left after 8 pitches due to right elbow discomfort. Five Astros relievers combined to record all 27 outs.
Bullpen pieces together 27 outs after Luis Garcia leaves early
Garcia left after eight pitches due to right elbow discomfort before he could record an out, so the Astros bullpen was required to get every single out of Monday’s game. Fortunately, Houston’s bullpen had an extra arm available after Brandon Bielak was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land as a result of Jose Urquidy landing on the IL earlier in the day. Bielak was the first pitcher Dusty Baker called upon after Garcia exited.
Bielak, whose day started well before sunrise in Reno, arrived in Houston during batting practice. He was scheduled to start the Space Cowboys’ game in Albuquerque on Tuesday and was stretched out to 75 pitches. He threw that exact number over four innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out six in his first Major League appearance of 2023. His only mistake came in the third inning when Joc Pederson sent a poorly located 3-1 fastball over the right field wall.
Phil Maton followed Bielak and retired all six men he faced in the fifth and sixth innings, and Ryne Stanek retired the side in order in the seventh. Rafael Montero allowed a homer to Lamonte Wade Jr. in the eighth, and Ryan Pressly handled business in the ninth.
Mauricio Dubón paces Astros offense against his old team
Dubón played against the Giants for the first time since they traded him to the Astros last May, and came up big against a team he played parts of four seasons for. He led off the Astros’ first inning with a single, stole second, and scored the game’s first run on Jose Abreu’s two-out RBI single. In the fifth inning, he tied the game with a two-out RBI single of his own. Later on, he was right in the middle of the Astros five-run rally in the seventh.
Jake Meyers led off the frame with a walk, Dubón broke the 2-2 tie with an RBI, and Dubón scored when Alex Bregman singled. After Yordan Alvarez walked, Bregman scored when Abreu grounded out. Jeremy Peña added an RBI single with two out.
The Astros sent 10 men to the plate in the seventh inning, scoring five runs on four hits, three of them singles, while taking advantage of a pair of walks.
News and Notes:
•Monday was Dubón’s third three-hit game of the season.
•Yordan Alvarez has reached base in 23 games this season after reaching base twice on Monday.
Injury updates:
•The Astros placed RHP Jose Urquidy on the 15-day IL due to right shoulder discomfort and recalled RHP Brandon Bielak from Triple-A Sugar Land.
•Astros manager Dusty Baker said outfielder Chas McCormick (back) will not be activated before the conclusion of the team’s three-game series against the Giants.
Up Next
The Astros and Giants will play the middle of their three-game series on Tuesday night with Hunter Brown (3-0) starting opposite Anthony DeSclafani (2-1).