Astros' young talent shows out in playoff atmosphere

ATLANTA -- The World Series rematch between the Astros and Braves has proven how crucial young talent will be in this year's playoff run.

The youngsters in the Astros' lineup took the spotlight in the 5-4 loss to the Braves in 11 innings on Saturday night at Truist Park.

Cristian Javier kept the Astros in the game with a sensational outing on the mound. The 25-year-old tossed six innings, giving up just one run on two hits and a walk while fanning eight. The only run he allowed was to 21-year-old Braves rookie Vaughn Grissom, who hit a fifth-inning homer to tie the game.

"I feel very proud of what I've been able to accomplish," Javier said through interpreter Jenloy Herrera. "I always come with the same goal in mind, which is to attack hitters with my first strike, and then just try and get it over with them."

The offensive showcase by the youngsters began when 24-year-old Jeremy Peña belted a solo blast off 23-year-old Spencer Strider for the first run of the game in the top half of the fifth.

Javier, who’s worked out of the bullpen in years past, has proven to be a reliable starter in the Astros’ rotation. Over his past six outings, he's allowed just eight runs over 34 innings, with four of those outings being quality starts. On Saturday against the Braves, his average fastball velocity (94.8 mph) was a tick up from his season average (93.8 mph), and he induced 16 whiffs on 52 swings.

Unfortunately for the right-hander, he has gotten minimal run support recently, leaving him with a 1-4 record over his past seven starts. Entering Saturday, the Astros had only scored 10 runs while Javier was on the mound over his previous six starts, with five coming against the A's on Aug. 14. That was the case again in Atlanta, as Houston bats were stymied by Strider, who matched Javier through six innings.

"That's what [the young talents] are here for," manager Dusty Baker said. "They're getting the opportunity to play, we're going to give it to them, and you can only grow from stuff like this."

But the Astros' offense began to score when it mattered in extra innings. Twenty-six-year-old Jake Meyers singled home Peña, who started on second base as the automatic runner, for the go-ahead run in the 10th.

"It's a long season, but it's a lot of fun to learn from all these guys and contribute to the youngsters' [success]," Meyers said.

After each team plated a pair of runs in the 10th, Peña came up to bat in the 11th and knocked in the go-ahead run to give his team yet another lead. The shortstop was involved in scoring three of the Astros' four runs. Among players who have started at least 40 games as a primary shortstop, he's the seventh youngest.

"[Peña's] another guy that just shows up every day, and you know what you're going to get, and that's great defense and a great bat," Meyers said. "He just works his butt off every day. I've gotten to play with Peña a couple of times over the past couple of years, and I absolutely love playing behind him. It's just a lot of fun, because he makes everyone else around him better."

With the 77-45 Astros holding a 10 1/2-game lead over the Mariners in the American League West, the young players that will get an opportunity to make an impact on Houston's playoff run are using this opportunity to feel out the atmosphere that comes with playing against last year’s World Series opponent.

"I think we could have been better in all phases of the game," Alex Bregman said, "but [it] definitely was a great atmosphere. It's always fun to play against a really good team like this, and a packed house is a lot of fun. We just came up short tonight."

Atlanta may have taken the series from Houston, but with one game left in the three-game set, the Astros will take advantage of another opportunity to learn about themselves and a team they could potentially see again in the postseason.

"The sun comes up tomorrow," Baker said. "[This one] hurts tonight, but you can't take this game into tomorrow."