The Houston Astros find themselves contending for a first-round bye in the playoffs despite being just three games over .500.
Winners of six of their last eight games, the Astros (72-69) will aim to continue their ascent on Friday when they open a three-game series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks (74-67).
American League West-leading Houston moved within 1 1/2 games of AL Central-leading Chicago after winning three of the four games in their series. The Astros, who hold the tiebreaker over the White Sox by virtue of winning the season series, rode a four-run third inning to a 6-2 victory on Thursday afternoon.
“It’s good vibes, good people and good wins,” said reliever AJ Blubaugh, who recorded his 10th consecutive scoreless appearance after working the ninth inning on Thursday.
While the Astros are chasing a first-round bye in the AL, the Diamondbacks are clinging to a half-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the final wild-card spot in the National League.
Arizona took a step closer to its goal on Wednesday by snapping a three-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies.
James McCann belted a homer in the eighth inning for the Diamondbacks, who mustered just three runs and went 0-for-17 with runners in scoring position during the series with the Phillies.
“When you score three runs in three games and you win one of them, you have to be satisfied with the win,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “But we’ve got to be better offensively, and these boys are going to grind it out and get it done.”
All-Star Corbin Carroll is just 2-for-29 with nine strikeouts in his past eight games as he battles through lower back pain, but he is firm in his desire to play.
“I didn’t push to be in the lineup, they put me in the lineup, honestly. I just said I’m not gonna take myself out,” said Carroll, who leads the team in runs (83), triples (16), total bases (240) and stolen bases (21).
“If you guys think that I need to come out, I’ll come out. But I’m good to go. That’s the way I left it.”
Houston’s Cristian Javier (1-5, 6.45 ERA) will look to put a disastrous August in his rearview mirror on Friday when he makes the start opposite fellow right-hander Merrill Kelly (9-12, 5.08) of Arizona.
Javier fell to 0-4 with a 5.79 ERA last month after allowing three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the New York Mets on Saturday. He worked behind an opener in that contest, but he will return to a traditional starting role on Friday.
Javier, 29, is 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in five career appearances (three starts) against the Diamondbacks.
His return to the starting rotation comes as the Astros are in the midst of 13 games without an off day. They are off Monday ahead of a six-game road trip that will take them to play a pair of playoff contenders in the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays.
“The off days are really going to help us reset our rotation moving forward,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “But right now, it’s day to day.”
Kelly lost his first four decisions in August before recording a gem in his last outing. He scattered two hits and struck out a season-high seven batters over seven scoreless innings in a 7-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
Kelly, 37, is 0-2 with a 3.22 ERA in four career appearances (all starts) against the Astros.
–Field Level Media
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