In a disappointing performance, the Houston Astros lost 9-4 to the St. Louis Cardinals at Daikin Park, marking their second straight defeat at home. Bryan Abreu's pitching struggles were evident as he entered the game in the seventh inning with the Astros trailing 4-3, only to allow three runs, including a three-run homer by Nolan Gorman, who had been struggling at the plate. Abreu's average fastball velocity has dropped to 95.4 MPH, and his command has been inconsistent, as he threw only 8 of 16 pitches for strikes. Meanwhile, Peter Lambert, making a start due to injuries in the rotation, managed to pitch five innings, giving the Astros a chance to compete by allowing four runs while striking out 8 batters. The Astros had briefly rallied with solo home runs from Christian Vazquez and Yordan Alvarez, but ultimately fell short. With this loss, the Astros now hold an 8-13 record, tying them for last place in the AL West with the Seattle Mariners, and trailing the division-leading Texas Rangers by 3.5 games.