The usually cocky Astros had come into town under .500 and in fourth place in the division. 

The swagger is waning.

The game was knotted up at 1-1 in the sixth

With a runner at second and two outs in a critical situation in the game, Astros budding star Kyle Tucker—the latest pride of the Houston system that has seemed to churn out prospects—came to bat.

On John King’s first offering, Tucker hit a soft bloop in shallow left that was very playable.

Rangers left fielder Nick Solak however, failed to catch what was catchable. The ball had some hang time. Solak ran maybe forty feet, not far at all, maybe to the mail box and back, to get to it, lunged for it, the ball hit off his glove, then roll back toward the infield to Charlie Culberson. 

What was Kyle Tucker doing all this time? 

Pouting. Standing in the batters box like a baby pouting. He threw down his bat, and jogged defeatedly to first. Meanwhile, his teammate who had been at second motored home for the second, and go-ahead, Astros run. 

When the dust settled, Kyle Tucker was standing on first on a play that should have easily landed him on second. Because he ignored the cardinal rule. 

Run it out. Always run it out. You never know what will happen. 

Run it out. Always run it out. Those are Rangers defenders out there. So, you kind of know what will happen.

The game situation is a lot different with a runner on first and two outs than with a runner on second with two outs.

What could have turned into a huge Astros moment to take advantage of an opportunity just handed to them, fizzled. 

Tucker learned his lesson, for sure.

In the top of the eighth, the Astros were now down by one precious run, 3-2. Two outs again. Kyle Tucker up again. This time he hits a sharp single to new-but-still-the-same Rangers left fielder Brad Miller. Miller misplayed it. The ball rolled away a few feet. He picked it up, cocked his hand to throw, the ball slipped out of his hand, rolled away a few more feet before he was able to corral the crazy thing and get it back in.

What was Tucker doing the entire time? Half-assing it to first. He was content with a single. He should have been standing on second. His laziness saved Brad Miller an error.

It also once again cost the Astros the chance to make hay out of poor Rangers defense.

So, instead of being in scoring position, in position to score the much need tying run, Tucker was only at first when the next Astros hitter singled. 

Instead of scoring what would have been the tying run, Tucker only ended up at second.

Instead of sparking a late-inning rally, Tucker’s laziness smothered it while it slept.

The rally dead, the Rangers came up and piled on three more runs to win 6-2. 

Always run it out. 

Always run it out.

Always run it out. 

And thank you, Kyle Tucker, for your childishness. The win was greatly appreciated.

Thank you for never running it out.

*****