The Houston Astros Drop the First of Three Against Braves in Injury-Riddled Game

The Houston Astros faced injury and loss on Friday evening while facing the Atlanta Braves.

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

If you were hoping for a quick and clean game between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, then you were sorely disappointed. The 6-2 loss the Astros received at the hands of the reigning World Champions was only overshadowed by two significant injuries.

Both Yordan Alvarez and and his defensive substitution Mauricio Dubón both left the game early with illness or injury.

Alvarez was escorted from the field in the fifth inning after experiencing shortness of breath and apparently the fireworks only made it worse according to Houston manager Dusty Baker speaking after the game.

"He's being analyzed by the doctors," Baker said. "They said all his vitals are good. He's feeling normal but he still has to see our doctor. He was just, he had shortness of breath, and then when they shot the fireworks off, the smoke kind of made it worse."

Meanwhile, Dubón crashed into the centerfield fence causing him to suffer a left elbow contusion while tracking down Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson's two-run double. 

Additionally, José Altuve slipped coming out of the batters box before then sprinting full speed to first. The athletic trainer took a look at Altuve, but he appeared to be fine after a first inning scare.

The night could have gone better.

Aside from those injured, one player who wishes his evening had gone better was Lance McCullers Jr. 

The starting pitcher made his second start of the season, but unlike his first, this one didn't go as smoothly. 

In five innings of work, McCullers gave up three runs on three walks while allowing seven hits. He didn't quite toss a quality start, but it is a performance he wishes he had back.

And while the Astros weren't "out of it" following McCullers' exit, reliever Phil Maton ensured that Houston would have little chance to mount a comeback as he gave up three earned runs in the sixth.

Houston was just happy to make it out of the 6-2 loss without anymore injury or health scares. The Astros have not been playing their best baseball of late, but still have a stranglehold on the American League lead. 

The Astros and Braves will go at it again on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 6:15 p.m. CST. Cristian Javier is scheduled to take the mound for Houston while Spencer Strider will run it out for Atlanta.

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