RAFAEL MONTERO

Hi everybody, this is KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy checking in with this week’s Astros newsletter! Hope everyone is still celebrating the 2022 World Champions!

Rafael Montero struggled in his first six years as a major leaguer, but with the Houston Astros, he's become an elite reliever and is now being paid like one.

The Houston Astros just won their second World Series in six years and have been a consistent presence in the playoffs.

The Astros held off the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series to take a 3-2 series lead. Here are Ben Verlander's takeaways.

Justin Verlander overcame an early jolt to grit out the World Series win that long eluded him, rookie Jeremy Peña hit a go-ahead home run and the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-2 to head home with a 3-2 lead.

Pitchers Christian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero and Ryan Pressly held the Phillies hitless for the first World Series no-hitter since 1956.

Cristian Javier and Houston’s bullpen combined on just the second no-hitter in World Series history, silencing a booming lineup and boisterous ballpark as the Astros blanked the Philadelphia Phillies 5-0 Wednesday night to even the matchup at two games each.

Kyle Schwarber had big swings on consecutive pitches for the Philadelphia Phillies when they needed a comeback in Game 2 of the World Series.

Framber Valdez made a five-run lead stand up after Houston’s lightning first-inning burst, Alex Bregman homered and the Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 to tie the World Series at one game apiece.

A capsule look at the best-of-seven World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.

Cristian Javier and Houston’s bullpen combined on a three-hitter, Chas McCormick followed a dropped flyball with an early two-run homer and the Astros beat Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees 5-0 to take a 3-0 AL Championship Series lead.

Justin Verlander struck out 11 in six strong innings and Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña all homered to power the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees in their AL Championship Series opener.

Justin Verlander struck out 11 in six strong innings and Yuli Gurriel, Chas McCormick and Jeremy Peña all homered to power the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the New York Yankees in their AL Championship Series opener.

Yordan Alvarez and his mighty bat did it yet again, launching a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning off Seattle ace Luis Castillo that lifted the Houston Astros over the Mariners 4-2 for a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series.

Astros reliever Phil Maton says he broke his right pinkie when he punched a locker in frustration after Houston’s regular-season finale and will miss the postseason.

Framber Valdez struck out 10 in five shutout innings to lead the Houston Astros to 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the regular-season finale.

Jeremy Pena hit an early two-run homer and drove in an insurance run late, lifting the Houston Astros to a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Aledmys Díaz hit a two-run homer, Lance McCullers Jr. had a solid start and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 5-2 on Thursday night for their fifth straight victory.

Hunter Brown dazzled in his major league debut, scattering three hits across six impressive innings as the Houston Astros beat Texas 1-0 to hand the Rangers their ninth straight defeat.

Lance McCullers Jr. continued to impress in his return from a forearm flexor strain, pitching into the sixth inning as the Houston Astros finished off a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Jose Altuve drove in two runs and scored two more for the Houston Astros in a 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers and their All-Star starter Martín Pérez.

Justin Verlander pitched three scoreless innings before departing because of right calf discomfort, and the Houston Astros used five relievers to close out a 3-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.

Trey Mancini homered for a second straight game, a three-run drive that led the Houston Astros to a 6-3 win and a three-game sweep of the slumping Minnesota Twins.

Atlanta outfielder Marcell Ozuna was booed by the home fans in his return, Kyle Tucker singled to drive in Yordan Alvarez for the go-ahead run in the eighth and the Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 5-4 to avoid a three-game sweep.

Hey guys, it’s Ari Alexander and the Astros are cruising along with a massive lead in the AL West, so not to sound overly negative but this newsletter is going to be all about nitpicking.

Cristian Javier threw six shutout innings, Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer and the Houston Astros swept the Oakland Athletics with a 6-3 win.

Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer early, and his tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning led the Houston Astros to a 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman both homered and the pair combined for five RBIs as the Houston Astros completed a doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees Thursday with a 7-5 win in Game 2.

Stephen Vogt hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning and the Oakland Athletics wrapped up a shaky first half by beating the Houston Astros 4-3.

Yordan Alvarez threw out Hunter Dozier at the plate from just short of the warning track in left field to preserve a two-run, eighth-inning lead, then hit his 25th homer as the Houston Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 9-7.

Angels star Mike Trout finished 0 for 11 with nine strikeouts in a three-game series and Los Angeles hitters fanned 20 times overall in a 4-2 loss to the Houston Astros.

Justin Verlander pitched four-hit ball over seven innings, Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer and the Houston Astros beat the Yankees 3-1 to stop New York’s 15-game home winning streak.

Aaron Judge lined a game-winning single on the eve of his salary arbitration showdown, capping a four-run ninth inning that included Aaron Hicks’ tying three-run homer off closer Ryan Pressly in the New York Yankees’ 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros.

Justin Verlander struck out a season-high 12 in seven sparkling innings, Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer and the Houston Astros beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1.

Yordan Álvarez hit his 16th home run of the season and Framber Valdez won his fifth straight start for the Houston Astros, who beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4.

Chas McCormick hit a tiebreaking home run off Frankie Montas leading off the eighth inning and the Houston Astros got a scoreless effort from their bullpen, beating the Oakland Athletics 3-1.

Ryan Pressly got Luis Torrens to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, preserving the Houston Astros’ 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Jose Altuve hit a leadoff home run and José Urquidy tied a career high with 10 strikeouts to lead the Houston Astros to a 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers.

Martín Pérez pitched his first shutout since 2014, scattering seven singles as the Texas Rangers beat Houston 3-0, ending the Astros’ nine-game home winning streak.

Chas McCormick and Martín Maldonado hit consecutive homers and Luis Garcia worked seven strong innings as the Houston Astros stretched their winning streak to a season-high five games with a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Jose Altuve and rookie Jeremy Peña hit solo homers and Kyle Tucker’s RBI single in the ninth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Yordan Alvarez hit a solo homer and rookie Jeremy Peña added a two-run shot to back up another solid start from Jake Odorizzi and help the Houston Astros to a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.

Kyle Tucker hit a tiebreaking pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning and the Houston Astros beat the Texas Rangers 3-2.

Jeremy Peña hit his first major league home run while his parents were being interviewed on the broadcast, Kyle Tucker went deep twice and the Houston Astros pounded the Los Angeles Angels 13-6.

José Marmolejos hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the ninth inning and J.P. Crawford padded the lead with a two-run homer as the Seattle Mariners avoided a sweep with an 8-5 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.

Jake Odorizzi and four relievers combined on a five-hit shutout, Taylor Jones had a two-run double and the Houston Astros beat the Colorado Rockies 5-0.

Mitch Garver homered early and Josh Donaldson’s RBI single in the 11th inning lifted the Minnesota Twins to a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

Yuli Gurriel singled, doubled and homered to drive in three runs and lead the Houston Astros over the Seattle Mariners 11-4 on Wednesday.

The Houston Astros have landed one of the top relievers in baseball, acquiring right-hander Kendall Graveman from the Seattle Mariners in an odd intra-division trade while the teams were preparing to play each other.

Prized prospect Jarred Kelenic made his first major league hit memorable with a two-run homer and later added a pair of doubles, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Pinch-hitter Jason Castro drew a bases-loaded walk to put Houston in front during a four-run eighth inning, and the Astros rallied to beat the Seattle Mariners 7-5.

Ty France hit a two-run home run, six Seattle pitchers combined on a one-hitter and the Mariners beat the depleted Houston Astros 7-2.

Mitch Haniger homered and hit the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Seattle Mariners a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.