Kyle Tucker has represented the Houston Astros in each of the last two All-Star Games.
On Sunday night, we got a pretty good idea why.
The Astros defeated the Los Angeles Angels 9-8, rallying from a 7-3 deficit after seven innings.
It was not a one-man show by any means. Houston’s Chas McCormick hit two home runs. Most of Tucker’s heroics came in the ninth inning and likely would not have been possible if Alex Bregman didn’t hit a two-run homer with the Astros down to their final out.
Still, it’ll be hard to think of this as anything other than the Tucker game.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Los Angeles’ Mike Moustakas hit what looked like it might be a two-run home run. Tucker, though, tracked the ball down. And while the short wall at Angel Stadium made this an easier home run robbery than most, Tucker did keep Houston’s deficit at a far more manageable 7-3 with the catch.
Kyle Tucker keeps the ball in the yard 😤 #SundayNightBaseball pic.twitter.com/bALBmSBSLo
— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2023
Then came the ninth inning.
After Bregman’s aforementioned go-ahead home run, Tucker came to the plate and made it back-to-back home runs, launching a towering home run to right field.
Big swing from The King. pic.twitter.com/XjTIJtb9vn
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 17, 2023
That insurance run proved important in the bottom of the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani drilled a solo home run to cut the lead to 9-8.
The Angels kept the rally going. While Taylor Ward grounded out, it was sandwiched between an infield single from Mickey Moniak and a Moustakas walk, which put the tying and winning runs on base.
Matt Thaiss then hit a sinking liner to right field, which looked like it would at least tie the game. But Tucker finished off the night by laying out to catch the ball, securing the 9-8 victory.
Baseball fans showered Tucker with praise after his game. And while Tucker has two years of arbitration left after 2023 before becoming a free agent, the idea that it’s time to lock him up now was brought up.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) July 17, 2023
Kyle Tucker extension.
Literally. Kyle Tucker extension.
No, really. KYLE TUCKER EXTENSION. pic.twitter.com/x00WGILbYi— Dinn Mann (@mooseoutfront) July 17, 2023
Kyle Tucker, have a game.
Crushing loss for the Angels.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 17, 2023
Kyle Tucker: Underrated superstar
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 17, 2023
Kyle Tucker pic.twitter.com/l9aOmTvZZp
— The Crawfish Boxes (@CrawfishBoxes) July 17, 2023
If the Astros ultimately win the American League West or secure a Wild Card spot by one game, they’ll have Kyle Tucker to thank.
About Michael Dixon
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