Most individuals love to tell stories on Monday’s on how great their weekend was. All the exciting things they did on the weekend that was not posted on social media will be heard all throughout break rooms and cubicles. For the Houston Astros, that was not the case when they showed up for practice before they prepare to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

Houston (26-21) dropped a three-game series this past weekend to the Texas Rangers (22-27), a team that they swept in a four-game series just last week. The consecutive losses moved the Astros 1 ½ games behind the Oakland A’s for first place in the A.L. West, which was a position they held coming into the series against Texas.

That losing streak would continue as they dropped a highly contested game that featured two future Hall of Fame pitchers in Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw by a score of 9-2 in front of one of the largest crowds they have been in front of since 2019.

"What's so disappointing is that we didn't make a better show for the people, for our fans here," said Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker. "You saw a number of LA people. We would have loved to have quieted them down by having the lead and winning the ball game."

Houston couldn’t seem to get on track against the Dodgers as they allowed nine walks including six by the Astros relievers that cost them runs in the top of the eighth inning when Andre Scrubb walked home runs with the bases loaded after taking over for Kent Emanuel who left the game with elbow discomfort. Astros pitchers have now walked 23 batters in the last three games.

All of the base on balls did not go unnoticed by Baker who has emphasized not giving free passes to batters this season.

“I think their first three out of four runs were scored on walks,” Baker said. “That’s what hurt Greinke prior to the home run, and then after that, we couldn’t really find the plate. It’s tough to watch, and I’m sure it was tough on the guys that were throwing the balls. It was tough on the fans, it was tough on everybody, including the guys that were pitching. We certainly have to be better than that, especially on national TV.”

Houston will be back in action on Tuesday as they face Los Angeles in the final game of a brief two-game series. First pitch is 6:40 p.m. at Minute Maid Park.