Astros pitchers struck out 17 Brewers today during the regulation nine innings. And yet, despite another display of starting pitching dominance, the Stros required three more Ks in the tenth inning by reliever Josh James to put the game away.
Fourteen of those strikeouts were by the number two in the Astros’ one-two starting pitching punch, Gerrit Cole. In six innings Cole allowed only one run, three hits and two walks. Two of those hits were infield hits in the fifth inning, and despite a walk and a balk to go with those hits, Cole managed to get two strikeouts to prevent any Brewers runs.