Houston’s Late Rally Falls Short
The Houston Astros mounted a furious late-inning surge on Monday, but it ultimately proved insufficient as the Washington Nationals secured a 12-11 victory at Nationals Park. Houston’s Enyel De Los Santos entered the game with the deficit manageable, yet the team could not complete the comeback.
The game featured a high-scoring affair with six home runs distributed across both rosters. For Houston, the offense was highlighted by significant power displays. In the second inning, Jose Altuve launched a three-run shot to left field, measuring 372 feet, to give the visitors a 4-1 lead. Later in the third inning, Keibert Ruiz added a two-run homer to left (389 feet). The Astros’ offense exploded again in the fifth inning when Jake Meyers hit a home run to left-center (404 feet) and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Wynns.
In the eighth inning, Yordan Alvarez doubled to right, driving in one run. The Astros’ momentum peaked in the bottom of the eighth when Kyle Tucker homered to left (363 feet), scoring Alvarez and Alvarez’s teammate, adding three runs to tie the game at 11-11. However, the Nationals responded immediately in the top of the ninth with a decisive four-run rally. James Wood hit a home run to center field (446 feet), clearing the bases and extending Washington’s lead to 12-11.
Pitching Performances
Houston’s starting pitcher, Mike Burrows, took the loss after pitching 4.1 innings. He allowed nine hits and seven earned runs, striking out three batters. The Astros’ bullpen worked 3.2 innings, with AJ Blubaugh pitching 1.2 innings and allowing two earned runs, while Nate Pearson and Enyel De Los Santos each threw a scoreless inning.
Washington’s starting pitcher, Miles Mikolas, earned the win by pitching six innings. He allowed nine hits and seven earned runs while striking out three. The Nationals’ relief corps held the Astros’ offense in check after the sixth inning. Cole Henry pitched 1.2 innings, allowing four earned runs, before Clayton Beeter secured the save by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with one strikeout.
