Espada Urges Astros to Move On After 6-3 Wild Card Loss Draws Boos From 34,011

Q: Why did Houston open a must-win postseason with a bullpen game, and did that decision fuel the boos at Minute Maid Park?

Houston opened with a bullpen game largely out of necessity, not preference. The Astros had to burn through key arms and use their regular starters aggressively in the final weekend just to win the AL West and secure a playoff berth. Hunter Brown, their best starter, had thrown 100 pitches Friday and was not used on short rest for Game 1, so Joe Espada turned to rookie long reliever A.J. Blubaugh as an opener and tried to piece the game together from there. That plan unraveled quickly. Blubaugh walked three of the five hitters he faced, and Bryan King followed and was hit hard in the second inning as Chicago built a 3-0 lead. Houston ultimately used eight pitchers. The broader issue was not simply that Espada chose a bullpen game, but that the Astros entered October with a thin, overworked staff after an injury-plagued, .500 season. Even so, the in-game handling drew criticism, especially the decision to go to King so early given his poor second-half numbers. Yes, the strategy likely fed the boos, at least in part. Fans were already frustrated by an 81-81 club hosting a playoff game after a disappointing season, and the early deficit triggered the crowd almost immediately. Seeing a must-win opener begin with a reliever instead of Brown or a more traditional starter likely heightened that tension. But the boos were driven most by the ugly execution: wild pitching, an early 3-0 hole, defensive mistakes and an offense that went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Sep 30

Joe Espada told Astros players to put fan frustration aside before Game 2 after Tuesday’s 6-3 home loss to the White Sox triggered audible boos by the second inning.
34,011 fans were announced for Game 1 — well short of a sellout — and several players complained about both the small crowd and the reaction as Houston fell behind 3-0.
Bennett Sousa said he was "pretty pissed off" by the boos, arguing the team had earned more support, while Espada said fans and players both had a right to show emotion.
Houston, which finished 81-81, is one loss from elimination in the best-of-three series and will turn to ace Hunter Brown in Game 2 to try to quiet the crowd.