Real fans know that there's no reason to panic after the Houston Astros fell 6-2 ALDS playoff game loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, October (the only thing that stung was former Astro Carlos Correa driving in three runs).
History shows that we can bounce back to our Game 1 form, where Justin Verlander and our boys dropped the Twins 6-4 on Saturday, October 7. Let Yordan Alvarez go yard, let Alex Bregmanblast some Breggy Bombs, and we're back in business.
Now, as the Stros travel to Minnesota for Game 3 and Game 4, locals can scream for our men in orange and blue at restaurants and bars across the city — check out CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler's list of food and drink deals here.
A quick time out for the Ultimate Sports Bar Showdown
As sports fans know, CultureMap and SportsMap are teaming up to celebrate the return of the fall sports season with The Tailgate, our all-out party devoted to everything sports. It’s happening Wednesday, October 25 at Silver Street Studios, and tickets are already on sale.
For The Tailgate’s second year, we’re inviting CultureMap and SportsMap readers to vote for Houston’s best sports bar in our Ultimate Sports Bar Showdown. Our panel of editors and other local experts has compiled a roster of 16 local favorites with an array of different strengths. Some are owned by professional athletes, while others are part of local or national chains.
Some are big enough to accommodate hundreds of people at a time, while others are more intimate. Regardless of the specifics, they all offer a lively atmosphere for rooting on all of our favorite teams.
Rather than a head-to-head, bracket-style tournament, we’re inviting readers to vote for their favorite establishments from the entire field. The top half of all vote getters will advance to the next round as we go from 16 to eight to four to two to a winner. People may vote once per day, and voting will be monitored to ensure every establishment gets a fair shot to win. Vote here for your favorite.
Back to the Astros ALDS Watch Parties
Looking a something team-sanctioned Astros rally? Head to the Astros Official ALDS Watch Parties at Karbach Brewing Co. (2032 Karbach St.) on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 10 and 11, in Spring Branch.
Fans can look forward to special appearances by everyone's favorite green guy Orbit and the Coca-Cola Shooting Stars, check out a prize wheel, snap pics at all the photo ops, snag official team postseason gear from the team store, and more.
The massive Karbach Brewing Co. facilities in Spring Branch make for a perfect watch party setting. Photo courtesy of Karbach Brewing Co.
Here are the watch party schedules for Game 3 and 4, which kick off 30 minutes before first pitch.
Game 3, Tuesday, October 10: Watch party start time is 2:30 pm; game time is 3:07 pm.
Game 4, Wednesday, October 11: Watch party start time is 12:30 pm; game time is 1:07 pm.
"Every single person in that clubhouse is motivated to go out and play well tomorrow," Bregman told the media on Monday, October 9 when discussing his teammates' focus and readiness.
No doubt, Alex — now, it's game on.
