Houston Astros hang on to beat Philadelphia Phillies to open tough road trip
Houston took a big lead and then its bullpen had to fend off a Philadelphia comeback to nail down a win
The Houston Astros secured a 6-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, opening a challenging road trip at Citizens Bank Park. A pivotal play in the second inning, with a three-run home run by Christian Walker, seemed to guarantee the Astros' lead. The Phillies had two runners on base due to a line drive hit by J.T. Realmuto, which Statcast estimated had a .710 expected batting average.
A crucial double by Brandon Marsh at second base prevented a Phillies rally, as Jeremy Peña tagged him out. The Astros maintained their lead until the ninth inning, where closer Josh Hader, riding a streak of 21 scoreless outings, preserved the win with his 24th save of the season. The Astros, who have not lost a game when leading after eight innings, now hold a 74-71 record with 17 regular-season games remaining.
Their next five opponents include the Phillies, who are currently 81-64, and the AL's best record team, the Rays.
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