The Walk Off: George Springer’s dingers push Astros over Orioles
Welcome to The Walk Off, the nightly MLB recap from Big League Stew. Here we’ll look at the top performers of the night, show you a must-see highlight and rundown the scoreboard. First, we start with a game you need to know about.
Houston Astros outfielder George Springer doesn’t seem like the prototypical leadoff hitter, but he’s definitely enjoying his time in the role. Springer’s two home runs out of the No. 1 spot helped lead the Astros to victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest now]
Springer wasted no time getting to work. The 26-year-old led off the bottom of the first inning by smashing the second pitch he saw from Kevin Gausman deep to left for a solo home run.
He would strike again in the fifth inning. This time, Springer worked Gausman for an eight-pitch at-bat before clobbering an 85 mph splitter. Springer finished the night 2-for-4, with two runs scored and two RBI in the 4-2 victory. Through 48 games, Springer is hitting .270/.364/.492.
Hitting out of the top spot in the lineup is a new development for Springer. He’s started the club’s last three contests hitting leadoff, with Jose Altuve moving to the second spot in the order. The move could stick, as the Astros have won all three of those games.
Following the win, Houston is 20-28 on the year.
TOP PERFORMERS
Carlos Gonzalez: Gonzalez got the Colorado Rockies offense going in Thursday’s 8-2 win over the Boston Red Sox. In the fifth inning, Gonzalez put the Rockies on the board, smacking a two-run shot against Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz. That hit seemed to open the flood gates, as Buchholz would allow four more runs the following inning. Gonzalez finished the game 2-for-4, with one run scored and two RBI.
Jose Fernandez: Fernandez turned in a vintage start for the Miami Marlins against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. The 23-year-old lasted seven innings, giving up just one run on six hits. Fernandez had some of his best swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 12 Rays during the contest. The Marlins offense did their part, scoring nine runs of support for their ace in the 9-1 victory. The Marlins have now won Fernandez’s last six starts.
[Elsewhere: Jackie Bradley Jr.’s hitting streak was snapped at 29 games]
Gerrit Cole: Cole had just an average start on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the club’s 8-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, but his all-around contributions stood out. Cole lasted five innings, giving up one unearned run on seven hits. His performance at the plate is what set him apart. Cole went 2-for-2 during the contest, including a three-run homer in the second inning that put the Pirates ahead early.
MUST-SEE HIGHLIGHT
Bryce Harper has been in a bit of a slump in May. Prior to Thursday’s game, he was hitting .194 during the month. If he was frustrated by his recent performance, Harper seemed to take out all his aggression on a baseball during Thursday’s contest.
In the sixth inning, Harper channeled all that anger into one swing, sending a ball to the third deck in right field at Nationals Park. The ball traveled 434 feet officially, but it certainly seemed like a lot more to anyone watching. The hit lifted the Nationals over the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2-1 win.
THE REST OF THE SCOREBOARD
Blue Jays 3, Yankees 1: J.A. Happ held New York to just one run on three hits over seven innings. Roberto Osuna worked a scoreless ninth for the save, and hasn’t allowed a run in 12 2/3 innings.
Brewers 6, Braves 2: Ryan Braun hit his second home run in as many days as the Brewers completed a sweep of the Braves.
White Sox, Royals: PPD: This game was postponed. A makeup date has not been determined at this time.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
