Diamondbacks Take Step Back, Lose 2 of 3 to the Astros
The HR ball hurt
Jeremy Hellicksonin game 2 against the Astros. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Game 2: Diamondbacks-2 Astros-9
Game 2 can be summed up in 2 words: home runs.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surpise as the Astros lead the majors in long balls, and starter Jeremy Hellickson had given up 15 HR’s coming into the game.
In the 3rd, Astros catcher Hank Conger hit a solo shot, and then in 4th he padded the Astros 3-2 lead with his first career grand slam to make it 7-2. The 5 run inning chased Hellickson from the game.
The Astros hit 4 home runs in the game, 3 of them against Hellickson as Jeremy struggled with his command all night long.
He allowed 3 extra base hits in that fourth inning and gave up 6 earned runs on 7 hits and lasted just 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.
Carlos Correa hit a solo shot in the 1st, and he hit a 2 run homer in the 6th. He is the only shortstop in the last century to have 10 or more homers in his first 45 major league games.
The Dbacks had a chance in the 2nd inning to get a big lead and grab momentum against Astros ace Dallas Kuechel.
Kuechel struggled with his command in the inning, but the Snakes left the bases loaded after Nick Ahmed grounded out to end the inning, and the Dbacks settled for 2 runs.
The Astros lefty pitched 6 innings of 2 run ball to improve his record at home this season to 10-0 and he won his 13th game.