HOUSTON (AP) — Trailing the Seattle Mariners by 10 games in mid-June, the Houston Astros were undoubtedly down.
But first-year manager Joe Espada worked every day to remind his team it was far from out.
“We got this,’” he recalled telling the players. “`We are a good team. We’ve just got to go on a hot streak and we’ll turn this around.”
Then a champagnesoaked Espada paused for a beat before continui…