In the penultimate game of playing 13 straight days, a shorthanded Houston Astros bullpen could not protect a lead. A chance to pad their division lead Saturday slipped away as a result.
Gabriel Moreno gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a go-ahead single in the 10th inning. The Astros went scoreless after the fifth, falling 4-3 in the middle game of a series at Daikin Park.
Houston lost for just the fourth time in 58 games this season when leading after six innings. It carried a 3-1 lead into the seventh. Lars Nootbaar halved the lead with an RBI double. Ketel Marte erased it with his 22nd home run in the eighth.
Jose Altuve was stranded after a one-out double in the bottom of the eighth. Josh Hader entered a tied game in the ninth and retired the side with 10 pitches. After the Astros went quietly in their half, Hader did not return for a second inning. He has worked multiple innings twice in 40 outings this season.
Bryan King drew the **** ignment, the left-hander's first outing since being recalled from Triple-A. Moreno served a one-out single to score Arizona's extra-innings runner. King allowed no further damage.

#innings #houston #moreno #hader

HOUSTON (AP) — Nelson Velázquez hit a two-run single in the eighth inning to break a scoreless tie, Hayden Wesneski and two relievers combined on a three-hitter and the Houston Astros defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-0 on Wednesday night.
With one out in the eighth, Yordan Alvarez singled and Isaac Paredes walked before Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pinch-runner Nick Allen was thrown out at home trying to score on a grounder by Daulton Varsho back to Sean Newcomb (2-4) before Velázquez laced his single into left-center field.
Wesneski allowed one hit with five strikeouts over seven shutout innings. He has allowed one run and five hits over his last three starts, a span of 17 innings. A.J. Blubaugh (5-2) gave up two hits in the eighth before Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Wesneski retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced, including 12 straight between a one-out walk to Sam Antonacci in the third and a one-out walk to Braden Montgomery in the seventh.
Davis Martin scattered five hits with three strikeouts over 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his first start since Aug. 13. Martin, who had been on the 15-day injured list with a right middle finger blister, was activated before the game.

#wesneski #eighth #martin #zquez

US-based investment company McIntyre Partnerships delivered flat performance in H1 2026, returning 0% gross and -1% net compared to the Russell 2000 Value Index's 23% return. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The second quarter results were a complete reversal of Q1 results, with the portfolio appreciating 23.0% (gross) and 23.3% (net), outperforming the index's 17.3%. The overall market surge contributed to this performance, alongside several positive developments related to the firm's holdings. Since inception, the fund has returned ~16% gross and ~12% net per annum, surpassing the benchmark's return of ~9% per annum. The portfolio is highly concentrated, with QDEL as the largest holding, creating volatility. Despite mixed results, the firm remains confident in the portfolio, particularly with QDEL viewed as a key investment opportunity. Potential for further growth is expected from several large investments with promising catalysts. In addition, you can check the Strategy's top 5 holdings to determine its best picks for 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, McIntyre Partnerships highlighted Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC). Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) is a US-based company that provides sterilization solutions, lab testing, and advisory services for the healthcare industry. On August 7, 2026, Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) closed at $18.86 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $5.38 billion. Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) posted a one-month return of 5.04%, while its shares gained 25.61% over the past 52 weeks.
McIntyre Partnerships stated the following regarding Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"Sotera Health Company (NASDAQ:SHC) saw positive Q1 results, with the key Sterigenics segment continuing its return to HSD organic growth following the COVID destocking in 2023 and 2024. Further, SHC also had positive legal news regarding its Georgia litigation, where the judge threw out 5 lawsuits with reasoning that implies the remaining 450 cases are likely to be rejected as well. While I believe the judge's ruling implies current liability is sub-$50MM, I estimate a worst-case $400k per case settlement, or $180MM, even if appeals reverse the decision. This compares to SHC's 2026 EBITDA of ~$640MM. The company also saw a CEO transition, with its long-time CEO transitioning to Executive Chairman and the hiring of CEO Shader from Viant, a medical device services company where he served as CEO. We are encouraged that former CEO Petras remains on the board and intends to play an active role in ensuring a smooth transition.
Finally, and most importantly, following Q1 earnings, SHC's former private equity owners sold the last of their shares. I believe the PE firms' selling pressure, via predictable quarterly block trades, has been a considerable overhang on SHC's shares over the past year. With this overhang gone, I believe SHC is well positioned to reweight towards peers. I es

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jeremy Peña hit a go-ahead single with none out in the 10th, Isaac Paredes added a two-run double one out later and the Houston Astros rallied for a 6-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.
LaMonte Wade Jr. led off the 10th with Cam Smith on second as the automatic runner, and Smith moved to third on a wild pitch by Jason Foley (0-1).
Josh Hader (4-1) pitched two perfect innings for the win.
Smith hit a tying RBI single with two outs in the ninth against closer Dylan Smith after connecting for his 16th home run in the seventh.
Drew Gilbert hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the seventh after an earlier sacrifice fly and Jung Hoo Lee connected in the fifth, but the Giants blew it.

#home

Different venue, different result. Astros 6. Giants 3. It took extra innings, it took perseverance, and it took Jeremy Pena breaking out of a 0-24 slump. It also took a three-hit night from Cam Smith. The change of scenery from Petco to Oracle made all the difference as the offense finally showed some signs of life in front of 28,070.
For the first time in ten games, Houston would score in the opening frame to start things. Yordan Alvarez recorded his 60th extra base hit, hitting a double before Isaac Paredes moved him over to third with a single. Jose Altuve would bring in Alvarez on a sac fly making it 1-0. The next run would come off the bat of Cam Smith who would leave the yard, jacking his 16th of the year in the 7th. In the top of the 9th, Cam would weave some more magic, singling to right field which brought in pinch runner Nick Allen. Cam would go 3-4 on the night, driving in a pair.
Hayden Wesneski would cruise until the bottom of the fourth. Bryce Eldridge reached on a double. Rafael Devers followed that up with a walk and Oslevivis Basabe would single to load the bases. Drew Gilbert would notch his 23rd RBI of the season on a sac fly, tying things up at 1-1. Taylor Trammell would then make the defensive play of the night, making a spectacular play on a line out from Drew Cavanaugh to close out the inning. The Giants would strand a pair of runners.
However, the next pair of innings, the Giants would take Wesenski deep on multiple occasions. Jung Hoo Lee would hit his 9th homer of the year. That would be followed up by former Astros prospect, Drew Gilbert, who in the seventh went yard. Houston had plenty of opportunities during that window, including a bases loaded opportunity, but Christian Walker grounded out, stranding three. Even with the home runs, for all intents and purposes, Wesenski rendered a decent showing. His seven innings of work was the deepest a starter has gone in a game for Houston since Hunter Brown verses the White Sox on July 25th.
In the 10th inning, LaMonte Wade walked and went to second on a Pena single. They would each score on a clutch double from Isaac Parades. The bottom of 10th was arguably the best move Joe Espada has made this baseball season, sending out Josh Hader for a second inning of relief after previously vowing not to implement. Hader would dazzle, pitching a pair of scoreless innings, registering a pair of K's.

#Giants #houston #single

HOUSTON (AP) — Taylor Trammell had two RBIs and Christian Walker added two hits and drove in a run to held give the Houston Astros a 5-4 victory over the Texas Rangers Saturday night that increased their lead in the AL West.
It's the fifth straight victory for the Astros and their 10th in 11 games that has propelled them to a 1 1/2-game lead over the Rangers atop the division.
Wyatt Langford and Elias Díaz hit solo homers for the Rangers, who dropped their fourth in a row.
The Rangers trailed by 2 with one out in the sixth when Díaz's homer to right field to cut the lead to 5-4.
But Houston's bullpen shut Texas down the rest of the way. Closer Josh Hader struck out one in a scoreless ninth to improve to 15-for-15 on save opportunities.

#rangers #victory #trammell

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Yordan Alvarez homered and hit a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
Christian Walker added a solo homer while Houston relievers Enyel De Los Santos, Bryan Abreu, Steven Okert and Josh Hader combined for four hitless innings. Okert (4-1) threw a scoreless eighth to earn the win and Hader threw a four-pitch ninth for his 14th save.
The Astros won for the seventh time in eight games to remain two games behind Texas in the American League West. The last-place Angels have lost 17 of 22 games.
Nick Allen started the winning rally with a pinch-hit double off Angels left-hander Mitch Farris (0-2). Christian Vázquez flared a one-out single to shallow right, advancing Allen to third. After Jeremy Peña struck out, Alvarez lined a single to right-center.
Angels left-hander Red Detmers allowed two runs and four hits in five innings, striking out nine and walking none. Astros right-hander Peter Lambert gave up two runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out six and walking one.

#right #alvarez #houston

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Brandon Nimmo hit a game-ending single that drove in Wyatt Langford with his third hit of the game, and the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 6-5 on Sunday to enter the All-Star break with a winning record at 49-47.
Langford singled off Josh Hader (3-1) leading off the ninth and advanced when Zach Dezenzo misplayed the ball for an error. Langford moved up on Josh Jung's single and scored standing up when Nimmo hit a one-hopper that glanced off the raised glove of Hader and into center field, giving Texas its fourth walk-off win this year.
Nimmo had his first walk-off plate appearance for Texas and his seventh in the big leagues.
All-Star closer Jacob Latz (2-1) intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez with two outs and none on in the ninth, Alvarez's second intentional walk of the game, then retired Isaac Paredes on a popout.
Texas won two of three in the in-state series and leads the AL West by 1 1/2 games over second-place Seattle (48-49) and by three games over third-place Houston (47-51). The Rangers have won eight of their last 10 series rubber games.

HOUSTON — Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes hit solo home runs, and four pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout, and the Houston Astros beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 on Sunday.
Walker led off the fourth inning with his 20th home run of the season, giving him five consecutive 20-homer seasons. Paredes hit his 12th homer to leadoff the sixth.
Peter Lambert (7-5) struck out six while he allowed three hits and walked one over 5 2/3 innings. He was removed with a runner on second base, but Steven Okert got pinch-hitter Ryan Vilade to fly out to end the threat.
Okert pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning, and Bryan King worked around a leadoff single in the eighth before Josh Hader overcame a leadoff walk in the ninth for his ninth save. Hader has allowed one run and two hits over 15 innings this season.
Mason Englert (0-2) allowed the two runs and five hits with a career-high nine strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings after being recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game. Cam Booser and Craig Kimbrel followed and combined to hold the Astros scoreless for 2 1/3 innings.

HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer off Casey Legumina with no outs in the ninth inning to cap a big night and give the Houston Astros a 10-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
The Rays had won nine in a row, the longest winning streak in the American League this season.
Named to his fourth All-Star team before the game, Alvarez homered twice and drove in six runs. He leads the AL with 29 homers and has four multi-homer games this season.
Jose Altuve drew a walk to open the ninth against Legumina (2-2). Altuve was 2 for 3 with two walks and three runs.
After Hunter Brown allowed a season-high seven runs over four innings, Houston's bullpen combined to hold the Rays to a run over the final innings, with Josh Hader (3-0) earning the win.

DETROIT (AP) — Isaac Paredes hit a two-run double in the eighth inning and the Houston Astros spoiled their former manager's opportunity at a milestone victory by rallying for an 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch entered the game with 999 victories, including 481 with Houston between 2015 and 2019, but his bullpen couldn't get him to 1,000.
The Astros trailed 6-5 going into the eighth, but Jeremy Peña's RBI single off Will Vest tied the game, with center fielder James Outman's error putting runners on second and third with two outs. Paredes, who started his career with the Tigers, followed with a two-run double to right, giving Houston an 8-6 lead.
Bryan King pitched a perfect eighth and Josh Hader retired the Tigers in order in the ninth for his seventh save.
Houston took a 2-0 lead on Cam Smith's homer in the second inning and added another run in the third when Jose Altuve hit into a run-scoring double play.

HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit his American League-leading 25th home run, Kai-Wei Teng threw six solid innings and the Houston Astros beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Sunday.
Alvarez hit a solo shot to right-center off Slade Cecconi in the first inning. It was his first home run since he hit two at Kansas City on June 12, snapping a streak of seven games without a homer.
Isaac Paredes, who had three hits, had an RBI single in the fourth, but the Guardians cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth on an groundout by Travis Bazzana that drove in Petey Halpin, who had tripled.
Teng (4-6) yielded one run and four hits with four strikeouts to snap a three-start losing streak. Teng had allowed at least three runs in each of his previous four starts.
Steven Okert pitched a scoreless seventh, Bryan King threw a perfect eighth and Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his fifth save.

Astros projected top-four trade **** ets strangely does not include All-Star infielder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Houston Astros might be trending in the right direction lately, but they're still a potential trade deadline seller this season after a rough start to the season.
If they do sell, there will be plenty of intriguing options for teams to inquire about. Yordan Alvarez is the best possible trade target, but a deal is incredibly unlikely, even if Houston completely collapses as the deadline nears.
But, with Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer revealing the Astros' top-four trade **** ets this season, including Alvarez, there is a strange lack of an All-Star infielder who really should be one of the top trade chips for the team this season.
"Their Best Trade Chips: DH Yordan Alvarez, SS Jeremy Pena, 1B Christian Walker, LHP Josh Hader," Rymer writes.

Forget Skubal — the Astros need to fix their bullpen before anything else originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Every contender with a rotation need has circled Tarik Skubal's name, and the Houston Astros are no different. However, Houston's most urgent problem right now is a volatile bullpen. While rumors are making rounds about the Detroit Tigers' ace, adding a frontline starter won't save a team whose relief unit frequently leaks runs in the late innings.
Though elite closer Josh Hader recently returned from a two-month injured list stint for biceps tendinitis, the rest of the unit remains shaky. Bryan Abreu, who handled closing duties early in the year, struggled immensely and still carries a 6.66 ERA.
Outside of Hader, the team has relied almost entirely on Bryan King to protect leads. King has been excellent, posting a 2.37 ERA across 28 appearances, but leaning on just one stable setup option in a 13-man bullpen is a dangerous formula for October baseball.
The Tigers' two-time AL Cy Young winner is heading for free agency after the 2026 season. According to ESPN, a trade is now widely considered likely.

Finally getting healthier, the Houston Astros have won 3 of 4 and 11 of 17.
Jeremy Pena is hitting .307 since returning from injury May 18, with 3 doubles, 3 HR, 12 RBI and 4 SB.
Josh Hader has struck out 7 of the 10 batters he has faced in his 3 innings since returning from the IL, and has not allowed a hit or a run.
Jose Altuve has also returned from injury, much sooner than anticipated. He scored the game winning run on Monday night tagging up on a pop-up caught by the Angels second baseman in shallow centerfield. His sprint speed was clocked at over 29 ft/sec, incredibly fast for anyone, let alone a player of Altuve’s age.
Monday night, Bryan Abreu may have finally found his fastball. He threw three straight heaters to Jo Adell at 97 MPH for a 3 pitch strikeout.

The Astros Road trip began with a little extra flavor for all, going 10 innings from Anaheim and in the process, producing one of the bigger comebacks of the year. From Jose Altuve’s daring baserunning to Brice Matthews one hop rocket throw to home plate, negating a slide by Mike Trout, it was late night heroics all around. Houston would tie it in the 9th and ultimately win it in the 10th. Astros 5. Angels 4.
Spencer Arrighetti entered Monday Night having never defeated the Angels during his career and although he didn’t get the win, the Astros picked up their 31st victory. The win ultimately went to Josh Hader in relief. Arrighetti cruised with a six-pitch opening frame, but then the wheels began to fall off in the second inning thanks to a series of miscues, rekindling flashbacks of Arrighetti’s hard luck fourth inning last week versus Pittsburgh.
Jo Adell would lead off things in the second inning, reaching first base after being hit by an errant pitch. He scored the game’s first run courtesy of ex-Astro Trey Mancini, who registered an RBI single in his first big league game in three years. In total, nine different batters would come to the plate with a combination of walks and hits, even Logan O’Hoppe getting in on the action with a double that drove in a pair. Final damage was thirty-six pitches thrown and three runs on the board. It’s now six times over his last ten starts that Arrighetti has walked at least four batters.
Houston would get on the board in the top of the fourth after Yordan Alvarez reached on an error by Mike Trout and scored thanks to Christian Walker’s RBI Double. Doubles would be the theme of the night for Houston, as their first six hits would all be two baggers. Lamont Wade Jr., in just his fourth game with the club, would register an RBI double, scoring Isaac Paredes in the 6th inning. Wade would exit moments later with tightness to his right hamstring. Brice Matthews would come in as a pinch runner and score when Cam Smith doubled him home, tying things at three.
De Los Santos would come on in relief and give up a solo shot to Zach Neto in the 7th. For Neto, it would be his 13th home run of the year. However, Christian Walker would secure the Astros first single of the night, in a clutch moment in the top of the 9th, with a hit to center, scoring Jeremy Pena, tying things at 4-4. In the 10th inning, on a fielding error by Logan O’Hoppe, Jose Altuve would score the winning run. Bryan Abreu would come in and close the door earning his 4th save.

HOUSTON (AP) — Cam Smith hit a tiebreaking two-run triple to cap Houston’s six-run eighth inning, Isaac Paredes homered and the Astros overcame a five-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-9 on Wednesday night.
Yordan Alvarez had four hits and two RBIs for the Astros. Smith and Paredes had two hits and three RBIs apiece, and Jeremy Peña went 2 for 3 with a double.
AJ Blubaugh (3-2) pitched the eighth inning to get the victory. Josh Hader made his season debut and worked a scoreless ninth for the save, ending the Pirates' winning streak at four.
Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti, who went 4-1 in five starts with a 0.93 ERA in May, allowed four runs in four innings.
Henry Davis hit his first career grand slam in the fourth inning for Pittsburgh. Nick Gonzalez had a homer, double and three RBIs.