The Astros beat up an abysmal Braves team last night. The Astros logged 5 runs before Braves starting pitcher Bartolo Colon had even gotten a single out in the first inning, starting with a glorious RBI Single for Altuve, and including two homers by Carlos Correa and Carlos Beltran. Colon tried to get the game back under control, and did in fact for a while: 13 of the next 14 batters he faced he sent down. Maybe the Braves could get back in this - but then, Josh Reddick shattered those hopes in the 5th by crushing his 100th homer and putting the Astros up 6-0. And although the Braves were able to put up 2 runs, they never had a chance. The Astros just rode their batters home and finished the game up 8-3, handing the Braves their 19th loss of the season. But who cares right?
I mean the Braves are terrible. I thought the Brandon Phillips signing was a horrible idea, but he's not doing that badly. He and Freddie Freeman are the only ones making the Braves remotely watchable right now. Dansby Swanson's stats are horrible, and although he's making adjustments we still don't see hits. We may be looking at a team that's at risk of losing 90 or 100 games. I mean, I understand rebuilding but COME ON.
It should be no surprise that a team like the Astros whooped up on them last night, and I wouldn't be surprised if they swept the Braves with little to no trouble. So why does last night's win matter?
Because sometimes in sports it’s not the pothole that derails the bus to the post-season, it’s the pebble. How many times have we watched the Patriots dominate great teams and struggle to beat the Jets or the Bills? Or what about the Spurs getting knocked out by the Grizzlies when they were the first seed? Or what about the game in 2004 when the Indians were up 20-1 against the Yanks, who almost won the pennant that year (109 games won at the end of the year)? It was so bad they invented a mercy rule just for that game to call it so no one had to watch the carnage any longer. You see, oftentimes when the team sees the pothole coming, they adjust, they prepare, the rise to the occasion. They underestimate the pebble though, and it completely throws them off, sinking their entire level of play.
The Astros win over the Braves last night marked their 8th win in a row. In fact, they’ve only lost two series so far the entire season. They are 22-11, tying their Team Record Best Season Start in 1973. They are probably the best team in the AL right now, and if they keep playing this way will run away with the division. But the Astros also have a history of blowing big games, wasting big leads, and choking in the limelight. After all, one of the two series the Astros have lost this season was to the Kansas City Royals, who are just awful. Last night was a test - a test to see if the Astros have matured as a team. Have they finally gotten to a point where they can handle the big moments? Can they keep a streak alive? Can they play CONSISTENTLY well all season? In short, can they and will they win the games they are supposed to win? Last night they did, and I’ll keep watching them this season hoping I’m viewing greatness - history in the making. I hope you’re watching too.
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