In one of the wilder Houston Astros games this season, it took the mighty bat of Kyle Tucker to bring about a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night. Tucker’s RBI single in the top of the 10th inning scored automatic runner Grae Kessinger from third base. But there’s a whole lot of ballgame that took place at Petco Park. And Kessinger had a whale of a play to end it all.
The late-night victory, combined with tbe New York Yankees’ 11-2 win over the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday night, cuts the Astros’ Magic Number to win the American League West Division to seven games. Still, fans tuning in to see the Astros-Padres game didn’t think they’d see a sockless Jose Altuve walking around home plate. That’s exactly what happened.
Houston Astros Rule With King Tuck
Astros closer Josh Hader (8-7) picked up the victory. Relief pitcher Hector Neris came on in the bottom of the 10th inning to get his 18th save this season—and first with the Astros this season, too. Neris, Tucker, and Kessinger were the stars of the game. Yet there’s no doubt that plenty of people will be talking about Sockless Jose and the Houston Astros.
Let’s break it down a little bit.
Jose Altuve claimed that he hit a ball off of his left foot in the top of the ninth inning. Altuve hit a ground ball down the third-base line, where it was picked up by Padres third baseman Manny Machado. Machado threw over to first base, getting the ninth inning’s third out. Altuve claimed that he fouled the ball off of his left foot. At one point, Altuve pulled off his left shoe and pointed toward his bare left foot to show home plate umpire Brennan Miller. Miller threw Altuve out of the game. It’s the second time this season that Altuve, who has a history of not complaining much, was tossed out.
Jose Altuve claims that he fouled the ball off his foot.
The Umpires disagreed.
Jose Altuve took off his shoe and sock to show proof and the ump tossed him out the game.
Wild scene in San Diego pic.twitter.com/cb0TQpQZlY
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) September 18, 2024
Astros manager Joe Espada, who came out in the bottom of the eighth inning to argue about a Hader pitch clock violation, got ejected, too. Replays indicated that Altuve, indeed, did foul the ball off of his foot. Kessinger came on to play second base in Altuve’s absence in the bottom of the ninth inning. After the game, Altuve talked with reporters in the Astros’ clubhouse about the incident.
Jose Altuve: “I get a foul ball because it hit my foot and they just took it away from me. I don’t think it can happen…” pic.twitter.com/7KLAFf9Ytr
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) September 18, 2024
The Astros took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth as Yordan Alvarez scored on a wild pitch. But Hader, after a slight delay, threw a wild pitch himself. Fernando Tatis Jr. scored, making it 3-3. On the next pitch, Hader caught an easy line drive head high for the third out.
Kessinger made the play of the game. Neris ended up loading the bases with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning. Machado, who hit a two-run homer earlier, came up to the plate. He scorched a Neris pitch up the middle. It it off the pitcher’s mound but Kessinger nabbed the ball. He managed to flip the ball to shortstop Jeremy Pena, who stepped on second base for a forceout and the game’s final out.
Old-school baseball fans might remember infielder Don Kessinger from his time with the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals. Well, Grae happens to be Don Kessinger’s grandson. He obviously picked up some tricks from his grandfather, who also coached Grae when he attended Ole Miss.
WHAT A PLAY GRAE KESSINGER!!!🤯 pic.twitter.com/VEfOnH6TFC
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 18, 2024
The Padres put together a couple of rallies against the Astros, The Associated Press reported. Machado’s 27th homer with one out in the sixth tied it at 2-2. Then, the Padres tied it up in the bottom of the ninth. Yet the Astros pulled victory right from the jaws of defeat.
The Astros and Padres will close out their three-game series and the Astros’ six-game road trip on Wednesday afternoon. Framber Valdez (14-6, 2.91 ERA) starts for Houston against San Diego’s Dylan Cease (13-11, 3.58 ERA).
Late-night MLB fans will be talking about this one for a couple of days. Astros fans, though, will have another interesting, amazing highlight from a mid-week game in September to remember. And, of course, Sockless Jose.
Astros Put Ben Gamel On IL
On the injury front, Astros outfielder Ben Gamel landed on the injured list with a left fibula fracture. Early reports indicated that Gamel suffered a leg contusion. That, though, became much worse on Tuesday. Gamel, according to MLB.com, ran into the low right-field wall at Angel Stadium on Saturday while making a running catch.
Gamel was put on the 10-day IL after Houston’s loss to San Diego on Monday night. He will be out indefinitely. Gamel went on waivers from the New York Mets about a month ago, and the Astros picked him up. He’s been filing in nicely while outfielder Kyle Tucker was out dealing with his right shin fracture. Gamel made 14 starts in right field and four starts in left field.
Now, though, with Gamel out, the Astros called up catcher Cesar Salazar from the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
“Very disappointing,” Espada said. “He did a nice job for us. We were really expecting him to be OK in a couple of days, but that’s not going to be the case.”
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