Bullpen lets Houston Astros down

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros front office, according to published reports, pursed Padres closer Craig Kimbrel at the non-waiver trade deadline. They were also in the hunt for Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. Despite being armed with a bullpen that performed admirably up to that point of the season, the Astros recognized what they lacked in with relievers.

Their collective lack of swing-and-miss stuff proved debilitating for the Astros bullpen in Game 4 of the American League Division Series, as the Royals strung together five consecutive singles in the eighth inning while erasing a four-run deficit and ultimately securing a 9-6 win that sent the series back to Kauffman Stadium for Game 5 Wednesday night.

After rookie right-hander Lance McCullers pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Astros manager A.J. Hinch had the game right where he wanted with right-hander Will Harris, lefty Tony Sipp, and closer Luke Gregerson positioned to protect the lead over the final eight outs. Instead, disaster ensued.

"Yeah, going into that (eighth) inning, we have got six outs left in the game, four-run lead, I've got my three best relievers, and they went through that whole inning," Hinch said. "All of them pitched.

"So the way it mapped out was fine. I take my chances with six outs left with Harris, Sipp and Gregerson. It just didn't work out today."

Harris' average fastball velocity this season was the best of the three at 92.2 mph. Both Sipp (90.9) and Gregerson (89.1) rely more on breaking pitches, and their collective inability to get the Royals to swing and miss proved their undoing in the eighth. Of the 53 pitches that trio threw in the inning, the Royals swung and missed on just seven. When the Astros needed the heat Kimbrel and Chapman offer, they had none.

"It's baseball," said Harris, who allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits while recording just two outs. "Trying to get outs, trying to throw strikes, and it didn't work out for me."