The Houston Astros really needed to get back in the win column after losing a series to the San Diego Padres. The road trip continued to the Bay Area as the Astros began a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants with a slight lead in the American League West division. The series opener on Monday night saw the Astros literally on the brink of losing down to their last strike in the ninth inning. Houston was down 3-2 with with two outs in the inning. Astros right fielder Cam Smith came up to the plate with Nick Allen on first base as the tying run. Walker drew a walk earlier in the inning and speedy Allen came in to pinch run for him with one out. Daulton Varsho hit a long fly out 398 feet for the second out, and all hopes for the Astros to avoid a poor loss rested on the second-year big leaguer in Smith. A Comeback From the Brink of LosingHouston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) hits a single during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectA wild pitch by Giants reliever Dylan Smith moved Allen to second base. That ended up being huge for what followed next. Smith hit a single to right field that was just out of the reach of the second baseman and ended up being deflected. However, it was all that was needed for Allen as he came around and scored. Smith had tied the game at three on a clutch ground ball single when he was down to the last strike of the game. He tried to get to second base but was thrown out to end the inning. Either way, the game went to extra innings. I don’t know what to say. Cam Smith is absolutely clutch but that base running decision was not clutch. It’s tied up and headed to the bottom of the 9th. pic.twitter.com/y0YrXKRcyT— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) August 11, 2026Josh Hader was excellent and got through the bottom of the ninth on 11 pitches. It set the Astros up in the 10th with Smith on second base. Lamonte Wade Jr. came up to start the inning as a pinch hitter and drew his 15th walk of the season. Another wild pitch moved Smith to third base. It moved the Astros to the top of the lineup and a perfect opportunity for Jeremy Peña to give Houston the lead. Peña was in the middle of a massive 0/24 slump that had him without a hit since Aug. 3, and he broke out of it when it mattered the most. The Astros shortstop blasted a single to right field and the Astros took the 4-3 lead as Smith came around and scored. JP3 y'all!!#ChaseTheFight pic.twitter.com/Ei5JGXTtOf— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2026Yordan Alvarez popped out, but up came Isaac Paredes. The road team in extra innings typically needs multiple runs for their lead to be safe, and Paredes did exactly that. The third baseman smoked a two-RBI double down the left field line as the Astros went up 6-3. Paredes keeps it going!💪 pic.twitter.com/9EMzJ01NUd— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2026Hader went more than one inning for the first time all season and it was a success. He threw 22 pitches total in two innings of work and he got his fourth win of the year. The Astros are still first in the American League West at 61-59, but just barely at 0.5 games over the Texas Rangers. If Houston had lost this game, Texas would've taken over first. Cam Smith was the player of the game for the Astros as he went 3/4 with a home run and two RBI. His homer was in the top of the seventh inning that tied the game at two. It was pummeled 402 feet at 113.9 mph with just a 17 degree launch angle. This was his 16th home run of the year. He also made a nice defensive play. Smith was clutch throughout this one. In his third start of the season, Astros starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski went seven innings on 83 pitches and gave up three runs. The Giants are the second worst team in the National League and this is a series the Astros honestly need to sweep. Hunter Brown is on the mound for Houston in game two. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow