Astros right fielder Jesus Sanchez saved a grand slam and a three-run homer in Sunday’s series finale vs. the Baltimore Orioles at Daikin Park, but it didn’t matter. Houston still suffered an ugly 12-0 loss that snapped its streak of three straight series victories.
Sanchez, who was acquired from the Miami Marlins at the Trade Deadline, leaped over the seven-foot wall in the third inning to rob Gunnar Henderson of a grand slam. Then, in the 7th, he did it again—this time saving a three-run homer by Samuel Basallo.
“It means a lot to be able to help my teammate and, in that case, help my pitchers,” Sanchez said, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart.
As McTaggart noted in his article, Sanchez is no stranger when it comes to robbing home runs. With the Marlins in 2023, he stopped Seattle’s Eugenio Suarez from hitting a grand slam that would have tied the game in the 9th inning at T-Mobile Park. Instead, Miami beat the Mariners.
Sanchez has made nine starts at left field during his short time in Houston, but he made his fourth start yesterday in right field—a position he has “all the confidence” he can play.
But despite Sanchez’s heroics, the Astros were embarrassed by an Orioles team that sits 10 games below .500. Baltimore capitalized on its opportunities all day, going 7-for-14 with runners in scoring position while Houston went a measly 1-for-9.
It didn’t help that Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier left the game due to illness, as announced by the team, after throwing just 50 pitches over 3.0 innings.
The Astros will try and get back on track tonight when they begin a three-game series against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Houston is just 1.5 games ahead of the Mariners for the AL West lead.