The Houston Astros play the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday, September 9 at 6:40 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park. Hunter Brown starts for Houston against Cristopher Sanchez for Philadelphia, a day after the Astros took the middle game of the series.
| First pitch | Wednesday, September 9, 6:40 p.m. ET (5:40 CT) |
| TV | NBC Sports Philadelphia (Phillies market), Space City Home Network (Astros market), MLB.TV out of market |
| Astros starter | Hunter Brown, RHP (5-3) |
| Phillies starter | Cristopher Sanchez, LHP (16-5) |
| Records | Astros 74-71, Phillies 81-64 |
| Next | Series finishes Thursday, Cristian Javier against Zack Wheeler |
What Time Is Astros vs. Phillies and What Channel?
6:40 p.m. ET in Philadelphia. NBC Sports Philadelphia carries it locally, Space City Home Network has it in Houston, and MLB.TV covers everyone outside those two markets.
Sanchez Is the Reason to Watch
Cristopher Sanchez is 16-5, which is the most wins of any starter in this series by a wide margin and puts him in the middle of the NL Cy Young conversation. He has been the most reliable arm in a Philadelphia rotation that also runs Zack Wheeler, Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola, and the Phillies have leaned on him all summer.
Hunter Brown counters at 5-3. Houston has used him carefully and he is the kind of starter who can shorten a game when his fastball is working, but the matchup on paper favors the home side.
What It Means for the Race
Philadelphia at 81-64 is in the National League playoff field and playing for seeding rather than survival, with the top wild card spot and home field in a best of three series the thing still worth chasing. Losing Tuesday to a sub-.500 opponent was not the way to build separation.
Houston at 74-71 is in the harder position, above water but with limited margin and a schedule that does not get easier. The Astros need series like this one, and they are one win from taking it with Wheeler waiting Thursday.
Related
All MLB games today · MLB standings · MLB playoff race tracker · MLB scores today
The Bottom Line
6:40 p.m. ET Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. Cristopher Sanchez at 16-5 against Hunter Brown, with Philadelphia trying to avoid dropping a second straight to Houston before Zack Wheeler closes the series Thursday.