The San Diego Padres and Houston Astros engaged in an exhilarating game on Tuesday night at Petco Park. It was a thrilling contest that left spectators wondering if these two teams would have more exciting matchups in the future.
The game had it all, including a barefoot Jose Altuve, a heavily booed Josh Hader, and several crucial wild pitches that resulted in runs. the Astros managed to hold on for a crazy 4-3 victory.
Houston took the lead in the top of the 10th inning thanks to Kyle Tucker’s RBI single. This came after Altuve grounded out in the bottom of the ninth on a ball that seemed to hit his shoe. Altuve removed his sock and shoe to show umpire Brennan Miller where he had been struck by the ball but was ejected from the game.
Meanwhile, Hader made an appearance for his first four-out save at Petco Park, despite having played for the Padres previously. Last winter, Hader chose not to pitch multiple innings during games as he approached free agency. As he emerged from the visitors’ bullpen, he faced vehement boos from fans.
Hader’s first pitch was low and got past Astros catcher Yainer Diaz. Fernando Tatis Jr. took advantage of this opportunity and scored, tying the game at 3-3. The Astros had taken a one-run lead earlier in that inning due to a wild pitch from Jason Adam.
This intense matchup held significant postseason implications as well. The Padres missed an opportunity to close their gap with division leaders Los Angeles Dodgers by 2 1/2 games after L.A.’s loss against Miami Marlins. On the other hand, with only ten games remaining, Houston extended their lead over Seattle Mariners by five games in American League West standings.
Since All-Star break, both teams have been performing exceptionally well - with Houston having best record among American League teams while San Diego boasts best record overall across Major League Baseball (MLB). Based on Tuesday night’s performance alone, it seems likely that they could deliver an exciting Fall Classic if they meet again later this season.
