Astros Blank Phillies Again, Extend Shutout Streak

Victor Caratini's home run and Isaac Paredes' timely hit propelled the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night, marking the second consecutive game the Astros have shut out their opponents.

Colton Gordon, the Astros' starting pitcher, showcased his skills by allowing just four singles and striking out four batters over five innings, improving his record to 3-1. In the ninth inning, Josh Hader secured his 21st save with a strikeout.

The scoring began early when Jeremy Peña hit a ground-rule double to lead off the game, later crossing home plate on Paredes' groundball single, giving Houston a quick advantage.

As the game progressed, Houston's pitching staff maintained control, retiring nine consecutive batters until Brandon Marsh broke the streak with a single to right field off Bryan King in the eighth inning. Trea Turner followed with a single that advanced Marsh to third base, setting up a critical moment for the Phillies.

However, King responded effectively, striking out Alec Bohm and forcing Nick Castellanos into a groundout, leaving Philadelphia without any runs despite having loaded the bases.

Caratini's solo home run in the eighth inning provided an insurance run for Houston, further solidifying their lead.

This victory follows a narrow 1-0 win for the Astros in Tuesday's series opener, showcasing their strong pitching and defensive capabilities.

On the other side, Phillies starter Zack Wheeler performed admirably, allowing only four hits and one run while striking out eight batters across six innings. Despite this effort, Philadelphia struggled offensively.

In a missed opportunity during the fifth inning, the Phillies had runners on first and second with one out but could not capitalize as Gordon struck out both Marsh and Turner to extinguish the threat.

Jake Meyers made a notable catch on the warning track in center field off Bryson Stott's hit for the second out of the seventh inning, exemplifying Houston's defensive prowess.

Wednesday's game marked the sixth time this season that the Phillies have been shut out, extending their scoreless streak to 19 innings.

Looking ahead, Houston's Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.88 ERA), who leads the majors in ERA, is set to face Philadelphia's Cristopher Sánchez (6-2, 2.87) as the series wraps up on Thursday.