The Houston Astros are the worst team in baseball, so the way they lost Friday night’s game in Pittsburgh was quite fitting.
Houston blew a 4-1 and lost 5-4 after two players collided when they were trying to catch a pop up to shallow right that allowed the winning run to score.
The Pirates loaded the bases and Russell Martin was facing Edgar Gonzalez with two outs. Martin had a full count and popped the ball up to shallow right. Second baseman Jake Elmore was calling it all the way, but right fielder Jimmy Paredes ran into him, knocking him to the ground. According to Houston Chronicle reporter Brian T. Smith, manager Bo Porter said the ball was Elmore’s, while Elmore said he couldn’t hear whether or not Paredes tried to call him off.
The ball hit the ground to give Martin a walk-off RBI single to win the game — much to his surprise. None of the Pirates players were running hard because they all thought it was going to be caught.
Now the best part is Eye on Baseball points out that another blooper from earlier in the game helped the Pirates make the comeback. This is another must-see GIF:
That’s the fine fielding of an out-of-position Chris Carter at work. Andrew McCutchen was the beneficiary on that play and later scored on a double from Garrett Jones to make it 4-2 Houston.
Just the latest tasty treats from those inept Astros who, by the way, have beaten the Angels for three of their 11 wins.
GIF via MLB GIFs
