Astros Hold On in Nail-Biter Extra-Inning Win Against the Rays! 
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What a game, fellow Astros fans! Our boys took on the Tampa Bay Rays and emerged victorious with a thrilling 2-1 win in 10 innings. 
Early Innings: Defensive Masterclass 
Both teams showcased excellent pitching and defense early on. In the bottom of the 1st, Zach Dezenzo made a crucial error, but our infield turned an inning-ending double play right after! A rock-solid defensive start to the game. 
5th Inning: Peña's Solo Homer! 
The silence was broken in the top of the 5th inning when Jeremy Peña hit a monstrous homer to left-center (384 feet)! Peña's solo shot gave us the first lead of the game. 
7th Inning: Rays Threaten, Astros Hold Strong 
The Rays weren't backing down easily. J. Lowe walked and made his way to third, while Junior Caminero stole second. But our reliever Nick Scott delivered under pressure, striking out Ben Rortvedt and ending the inning with no damage! 
8th Inning: Rays Tie It Up 
The tension rose in the bottom of the 8th when the Rays' Taylor Walls walked, advanced to third, and scored on a fielder's choice by Yandy Diaz. Despite a brief scare, Jose Caballero was caught stealing, ending the Rays’ threat. Tide was 1-1. 
10th Inning: Dubón Comes Through 
With the score tied, we saw Pedro Leon running for Yainer Diaz and advancing to third on a Jeremy Peña flyout. Then, the hero of the inning, Mauricio Dubón, singled to center, allowing Leon to score and giving us a 2-1 lead! Dubón even stole second, adding more pressure. 
Closing It Out: Hader Shuts the Door 
Josh Hader was stellar in the bottom of the 10th. He kept his composure, striking out Jonny DeLuca and getting Taylor Walls to ground out, sealing the win for our Astros. 
This was a gritty, hard-fought win, folks. Every win matters as we inch closer to the playoffs. Let’s keep this momentum going, Astros!
Scoreboard for Astros @ Rays (August 14th, 2024)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |