A lull gave way to life. Twelve straight Houston Astros hitters went to home plate and were turned away before LaMonte Wade Jr. flared a single to open Friday's eighth inning. Two more failed to advance him before a four-pitch walk to Yordan Alvarez brought up the potential tying run.
Isaac Paredes breathed hope into a faltering lineup, his soft line drive finding grass and driving in Wade. Ronald Acuña Jr. extinguished it. Jose Altuve flared a flyball into shallow right field. On a full dive, Acuña caught it and curtailed the Astros' final threat.
Acuña's play preserved a two-run Atlanta lead. Matt Olson padded it with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, puncturing any idea of a Houston comeback in a 6-2 loss at Daikin Park.
For the second time in a week, the Astros saw an opponent clinch a playoff spot against them. Atlanta, like the Rays last Friday, secured a berth and celebrated. Houston fell back to 77-77 and a first-place tie in the AL West with the Rangers, who beat Toronto.
Atlanta's lineup struck three two-run home runs. Michael Harris II hit one against starter Peter Lambert, who pitched into the sixth inning. Acuña accounted for another, against reliever AJ Blubaugh, and Olson hit his against right-hander Enyel De Los Santos.
The Astros totaled five hits. They did not have one until the fourth, when Alvarez doubled and Paredes and Altuve singled, all in succession, against Atlanta starter Tyler Mahle. In a 2-1 game at that point, it put the potential tying run in scoring position with no outs.
Houston's next 12 batters were retired in order. Its lineup finished 2-for-6 with men in scoring position. Paredes had both of the hits. Acuña prevented another.
How did Peter Lambert pitch?Lambert kept the Astros in striking distance while Mahle quieted their offense. The right-hander worked into the sixth inning (or later) for the 17th time in 27 starts this season. He allowed two runs – though he required an assist to preserve that line.
Lambert retired 10 of his first 11 batters, the exception reaching on an error. Matt Olson struck Atlanta's first hit with a line-drive single. Harris hit Lambert's next pitch, a slurve, the other way into the Crawford Boxes for his 26th home run.
Olson and Harris singled to open the sixth. Lambert exited after a one-out walk to Ozzie Albies filled the bases. He issued one walk while striking out six. Atlanta averaged an 87.5 mph exit velocity against him.
Lambert owns a 3.70 ERA in 151 major-league innings this season. No other Astros pitcher has reached 100 innings, though Hunter Brown, who has 97, should get there when he starts Sunday's series finale.
AJ Blubaugh escapes, then blinksSteven Okert has been Houston's fireman this year, inheriting the most runners among its relievers, but is on the injured list recovering from a hamstring strain. So Blubaugh, who has inherited the third-most, replaced Lambert with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth.
Blubaugh struck out Mike Yastrzemski and induced a lineout from Austin Riley to escape the jam, briefly preserving a 2-1 game. Blubaugh has inherited 33 runners this season and stranded 25 of them, allowing 24% to score. League average entering Friday was 31%.
In the seventh, however, Blubaugh created his own problem. A one-out walk to Drake Baldwin brought up Acuña, who lined a first-pitch fastball into the Crawford Boxes at 111 mph off the bat. Blubaugh has been scored upon in four of his last six outings, allowing three home runs in that stretch.
Mauricio Dubón returns to HoustonDubón, the former Astros utilityman and fan favorite, returned to Daikin Park for the first time since he was traded to Atlanta last offseason for infielder Nick Allen.
Fans welcomed him warmly. Dubón received an ovation after the Astros played a pregame tribute video, doffing his cap near the visitors' dugout and waving across to Houston's. He received another before his first at-bat and doffed his helmet.
Dubón, who entered batting .272 and slotted fifth in Atlanta's lineup, went 2-for-4 with a single and a double. He was on the receiving end of a playful bump from Alvarez after the slugger crossed second base on his fourth-inning double.
SubscribeThere’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Houston Astros can't get the timely hits and fall to Atlanta Braves and into AL West tie with Rangers.