08-10-2019, 12:53 AM
HOUSTON -- With the top of Houstons batting order struggling Friday night, the players at the bottom came through to help the Astros keep their winning streak intact. Jonathan Villar broke an 0-for-26 slump with a go-ahead RBI double in the seventh inning and the Astros won their seventh straight game with a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in the annual Major League Baseball Civil Rights game. It is the first time Houston, losers of 100-plus games the last three seasons, has won seven straight since 2010. Brett Oberholtzer (2-6) allowed four hits and a run in seven innings for the win and Chad Qualls got the last four outs for his fifth save. "Everybody did their part tonight," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "Oberholtzer was outstanding. The bullpen came in and was able to close it out and hold the game right there. Overall, just a great team win." The Astros had one hit before Matt Dominguez doubled to start the seventh. Alex Presley singled with one out but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Robbie Grossman followed with a double, which sailed just out of the reach of a leaping Steve Pearce in left field, to tie it 1-all. Villars ground-rule double bounced into the bullpen in right-centre field to put Houston on top and chase Miguel Gonzalez (3-4). "Extremely happy for (Villar) and Grossman," Porter said. "Both of them have been kind of scuffling and for them to be the two offensive heroes tonight, it definitely feels good." Houstons Nos. 7, 8 and 9 hitters combined for three hits Friday night while the top three had just one. "I feel like were never out of a game," said Grossman, who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday. "Were just out there having fun." Adam Jones doubled to start the second inning and scored on a one-out single by J.J. Hardy to put Baltimore up 1-0. But the Orioles couldnt do much else against Oberholtzer as they tied a season high with their fourth straight loss. "Weve scored five runs in the last three games," manager Buck Showalter said. "You tip your cap to the other pitcher, but were capable of better." Gonzalez kept Houston off-balance early and didnt allow a hit until Jose Altuve legged out an infield single on a grounder to shortstop with one out in the sixth. Gonzalez yielded five hits and two runs in 6 2-3 innings. The Astros wore the uniforms of the Houston Eagles and the Orioles donned the uniforms of the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues for the game. Houston rookie George Springer, who had hit seven homers in his previous seven games, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts to snap an 11-game hitting streak. Oberholtzer had retired five straight before Nelson Cruz extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single to start the fourth inning. But he still faced the minimum in the inning thanks to a double play. He threw perfect frames in both the fifth and sixth and sat down the first two batters in the seventh before a single by Chris Davis. Hardys fly out ended the inning and Oberholtzers night. Gonzalez retired the first eight batters before walking Villar with two outs in the third. But Altuve grounded out to end that inning. He plunked Jason Castro with two outs in the fourth before Pearce robbed Dominguez of a hit with a diving catch to end the inning. NOTES: Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Berry Gordy and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown were honoured at a luncheon on Friday in conjunction with the game for their contributions to the civil rights movement. Author and poet Maya Angelou, who died on Wednesday at 86, was honoured posthumously. ... Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... The series continues Saturday when Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman opposes LHP Dallas Keuchel. Keuchel was named the AL player of the week last week after going 2-0 with a 1.02 ERA in two starts. ... Baltimore C Matt Wieters, on the 15-day DL since May 11 with a right elbow strain, made 25 throws before Fridays game and Showalter said he will throw again Sunday. Ronnie Lott Youth Jersey . The injury could land Machado on the 15-day disabled list, but its not as serious as it looked on Monday night, when the third baseman crumpled in a heap at the plate after taking an awkward swing in a game against the New York Yankees. Tim Brown Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. http://www.footballraidersmall.com/Youth...te-Jersey/. Dr. James Andrews is to operate next week on the 24-year-old pitcher, who made the AL All-Star team last year. Moore will be the first Rays pitcher to undergo Tommy John surgery since Jason Isringhausen in June 2009. Jack Tatum Womens Jersey . The Incheon-based tea, of the Korea Baseball Organization said the deal for the 35-year-old Scott included a $50,000 signing bonus. Scott reached the major leagues with Houston in 2005 and hit 23 homers or more for Baltimore each year from 2008-10. Dave Casper Youth Jersey . Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years.DeKalb, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - The 20th-ranked Northern Iowa Panthers continue their pursuit of the top spot in the Missouri Valley Conference as they challenge the Illinois State Redbirds on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers trail only Wichita State in the MVC, UNI sporting a league mark of 6-1 while the Shockers are still undefeated at 7-0 as they host Drake on Sunday as well. In sole possession of second place, the Panthers have won six straight and eight of the last nine outings overall in order to get back into the national rankings. On Wednesday night, Northern Iowa hosted Indiana State and managed to get by with a 66-60 win at the McLeod Center. As for the Redbirds, they are in the second tier of teams in the MVC with four wins in seven league opportunities. Earlier this week the team took down Drake on the road, 64-56, marking it second straight victory and the fourth in five games. The one setback during the stretch was a 71-70 overtime defeat at the hands of Indiana State on the road 11 days ago. Illinois State owns a 37-29 edge in the all-time series, but theyve split their last eight meetings in the previous three seasons. Except for Marvin Singleton who tallied four points in 32 minutes of action, every starter scored in double figures for the Panthers during their win over Indiana State. Matt Bohannon converted 5-of-8 shots behind the 3-point line in order to arrive at 17 points, followed by Seth Tuttle who used 10-of-12 shootinng at the free-throw line to post 16 points, adding a team-best nine rebounds as well.dddddddddddd Jeremy Morgan, 8-of-8 at the charity stripe, logged 11 points and Deon Mitchell 10 on a perfect 3-of-3 out on the perimeter. The 60 points allowed to Indiana State was the most surrendered to a conference foe and still the Panthers are giving up only 49.6 ppg in league action as those opponents shoot 35.2 percent from the field and 28.6 percent beyond the arc. Offensively, Tuttle takes most of the responsibility to carry UNI with his 16.6 ppg, not to mention pacing the group with 6.7 rpg and 21 assists along the way. Illinois State made good on 50.0 percent from the field against Drake at the Knapp Center, offsetting a 4-of-14 effort beyond the arc, en route to the eight-point road win. Daishon Knight led the way with 20 points and Reggie Lynch tacked on 13 and nine rebounds, five of which came at the offensive end of the floor. The difference in the contest came at the charity stripe where ISU outscored the Bulldogs 16-8. Against the rest of the MVC, Knight is posting a team-best 16.1 ppg, thanks to a stellar 51.7 percent accuracy behind the 3-point line. However, Knight isnt even the top threat on the outside, that honor goes to Bobby Hunter, a reserve in all but one of seven league bouts who has converted 60.9 percent of his 23 tries on the perimeter. As a group, the Redbirds are hitting at a 41.5 percent clip beyond the arc. ' ' '