Astros fall to Nationals as Foster Griffin leads Washington

At Houston's Daikin Park, the Astros could not get much going against Foster Griffin on Tuesday night, and the Nationals took control early on the way to a win over Houston. For a club trying to stack wins at home, this one turned into a frustrating night at the plate.

Washington got the tone it wanted from Griffin, who worked effectively and limited Houston's chances. The Astros had a few openings but never built the big inning they needed, while the Nationals kept adding enough offense to stay in front.

Foster Griffin keeps Astros quiet

The headline from this matchup was Foster Griffin's work against the Astros lineup. He attacked the zone, mixed speeds, and avoided the kind of mistake Houston usually punishes at home. That kept the Nationals in command and forced the Astros to play from behind for most of the night.

Houston's offense has shown it can erupt quickly, but this game never found that rhythm. The Astros struggled to string together contact at the right moments, and Washington's pitching support held the advantage once Griffin set the pace.

Houston drops a home game at Daikin Park

Losing at Daikin Park always lands a little harder, especially against a visiting National League club. The Astros had the home setting, but Washington executed the cleaner game and made its early edge stand up. Houston's staff did not get enough breathing room because the bats never produced the response the crowd was waiting for.

For the Astros, the next step is straightforward. They need a quicker offensive push in the next game of the series and more traffic on the bases from the start. Home games in July matter, and Houston will try to reset fast against Washington in the next matchup.

This article is a summary of reporting by Reuters. Read the full story here.