HOUSTON — With their 3-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Monday night, the Houston Astros improved to 27-27 since the All-Star break and inched closer to capping a remarkable turnaround from their 111-loss season of 2013.
The Astros need just four wins over their final 12 games to finish with 71 victories, a total that would mark a 20-win improvement over last season. While that particular victory total wasn’t a specific benchmark entering the season, such a drastic improvement would represent a solid step forward for the rebuilding franchise.
“That was our goal coming into the season was to be the most improved team in the big leagues,” Astros catcher Jason Castro said. “Obviously we’ve had our ups and downs, but I think on the whole it’s been pretty successful from that standpoint.”
The Astros have utilized exceptional starting pitching to win five consecutive home games and 10 of their last 14 games overall. The current seven-game homestand will close out their Minute Maid Park schedule, and the Astros are eyeing a strong finish to display to their weary fans the team’s improvement.
“We’re going in the right direction,” Astros interim manager Tom Lawless said. “Hopefully the fans see that. We’re trying to build something here, and with the players that we’ve brought in and the minor league system being pretty strong, we’re very optimistic of what’s going to happen in the future.”
