5 things that matter most about Houston Astros' 10-game win streak
At 18-7, the Houston Astros have the best record in the American League. And their early-season success is starting to look more sustainable, rather than a random hot streak.
Five things to know about the rampaging Astros, whose 10-game winning streak is the longest currently active in the majors:
--If they get ahead, they win: Houston has not lost a single game in which it led at any point, not just during the streak but all season. On Sunday the Astros squandered a 6-1 advantage but still pulled out a 7-6 victory when Evan Gattis hit his second homer of the game, a tiebreaking shot in the eighth that paved the way for Houston to complete its first-ever four-game sweep of the Seattle Mariners.
The Astros' ability to preserve leads has been enhanced by a bullpen that ranks fifth in the majors in ERA at 2.13, an improvement of nearly two runs a game compared to last year's mark of 4.11. Houston relievers are limiting opposing hitters to a .175 batting average.
--One short of 15: The Astros had won four in a row by April 22, when they banged out 10 hits but left five runners on base in the final two innings before bowing to the Mariners 3-2. That was the last time Houston lost. Had they won that game, the Astros would have eclipsed the franchise record of 12 consecutive victories, set in 2004.
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As it is, this year's edition has a strong chance to match or surpass that playoff-bound team. The Astros open a three-game series against the lowly Texas Rangers on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
--The mighty Altuve: Jose Altuve's streak of games with multiple hits ended Saturday at nine, one short of becoming the first player since Bernie Williams in 2002 to reach double figures. The hot spell propelled Altuve's batting average from the high .280s to well over the .341 mark he posted last season in winning the batting crown. He's currently third in the league at .361. More impressive for a leadoff hitter, the 5-foot-6 dynamo has 19 RBI, tying him with Miguel Cabrera for eighth place among the league leaders.
Altuve and center fielder Jake Marisnick, batting .382, have been the most consistent hitters in a lineup with a propensity for swinging and missing. The Astros lead the majors with 231 strikeouts but make up for the whiffs with a combination of power and speed. They're tops in baseball in home runs (40) and stolen bases (31). Altuve, Marisnick and George Springer have each swiped nine bases.
--2017 may be here:Sports Illustrated famously anointed the Astros the 2017 World Series champions last year. What seemed like a bold prediction is starting to look conservative. At 18-7, Houston is off to the best start after 25 games in franchise history.
Knocking off a run from last season's 4.11 ERA is one of the top reasons for optimism, but so is Houston's reservoir of young talent and its ability to withstand a significant injury. The Astros are 6-0 since starting shortstop Jed Lowrie went down with a torn ligament in his right thumb that will sideline him until after the All-Star Game.
Their performance without him so far – Marwin Gonzalez has replaced Lowrie – has lessened the temptation to promote top prospect Carlos Correa, but he's batting .353 with a 1.115 OPS at Class AA and may soon force the issue.
--Unbeatable duo: The Astros are 10-0 when either Dallas Keuchel (3-0, 0.73 ERA) or Collin McHugh (4-0, 3.41) pitches, and their success is not just a recent phenomenon. They're both unbeaten in their last 10 starts going back to 2014, when they combined to go 23-9 for a club that lost 92 games. Keuchel's performance is a major reason the Astros rank second in the league with a 3.12 ERA.
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