MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – INSIDE PITCH
The Astros emerged from their first 16-game block of the season with a 6-10 record.
They were 5-11 at the same point last season, when they finished a franchise-worst 56-106.
By that measure, the Astros are a work in not much progress.
In the wake of a 12-0 victory against the Dodgers on Sunday, though, there is a growing mountain of evidence that this is by no means the same old Astros.
The Astros have scored 71 runs and allowed 61. At the same point in 2011, the Astros had scored 69 and allowed 86. Masking the Astros’ progress on offense and defense has been their spotty record in close games — 2-4 when the margin is one run, 0-3 when the margin is two.
“Our record definitely doesn’t reflect the way we’ve been playing,” catcher Jason Castro said. “We’ve had some things that haven’t gone our way. In the long run, those things will even out.”
Left-hander Wandy Rodriguez shut out the Dodgers for seven innings on Sunday, keeping the Astros in first place with St. Louis for most quality starts in the National League (11). The Astros poured it on against Dodgers right-hander Chad Billingsley, who allowed a career-high nine runs while allowing four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Billingsley walked four batters — or three more than he had in his first 20 1/3 innings this season.
“I don’t see the team making easy outs,” first baseman Carlos Lee said. “You see the starting pitcher throwing a lot of pitches early in the game. Everybody is working the count. Everybody is fighting for their at-bats.”
Instead of starting 30-somethings Clint Barmes and Bill Hall in the middle of the infield, the Astros have 21-year-old Jose Altuve at second base and 27-year-old Jed Lowrie at short. Castro isn’t out for the season with a knee injury this time, and the Astros have a 24-year-old left fielder (J.D. Martinez) with a .951 on-base-plus slugging and a 25-year-old center fielder (Jordan Schafer) who has reached base safely in every game.
“I think they’re still progressing,” Astros manager Brad Mills said. “There’s a lot of progression to go. It’s going to come with the realization that they have the ability to do that, to play with these teams. They can do it night after night.”
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MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – NOTES, QUOTES
–LHP Wandy Rodriguez had pitched well enough to post a 1.96 ERA in his first starts this season. What he hadn’t done was win until Sunday, when the Astros backed him with 12 runs on 12 hits and five walks. A 12-0 victory was the Astros’ largest margin of victory in a shutout since they routed the Cubs 12-0 on July 1, 2007. In that game, too, Rodriguez allowed three hits while working seven scoreless innings.
–1B Carlos Lee ended a personal 58 at-bat drought without a home run with a two-run shot in the first inning against RHP Chad Billingsley. It also ended an eight-game home-run drought by the Astros. They weren’t even halfway to the team record of 20, set by the 1979 team (Sept. 2-Sept. 23) that went on to win 89 games. That ’79 team also had a 15-game home-run drought from July 23-Aug. 7, going 11-4 and batting .297 with 72 runs scored in that stretch.
–CF Jordan Schafer hit his first career grand slam, a second-inning shot to right off RHP Chad Billingsley. With one swing, Schafer topped his career high of three RBI in a game — set June 13, 2011, as a member of the Braves playing against the Astros.
–C Jason Castro went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and one RBI. He lashed a fourth-inning triple that froze Dodgers CF Matt Kemp, who had to chase down the ball to Tal’s Hill in center field. Did Castro entertain the idea of an inside-the-park home run? “I rounded second and I was hoping (Kemp) was getting it in,” Castro said.
–LF J.D. Martinez went 0-for-5, ending his streak of reaching base safely at 14 games. Martinez did drive in a run with a fielder’s choice grounder.
–RHP Brandon Lyon turned in his third consecutive scoreless outing. Lyon, who is coming off shoulder surgery, lowered his ERA to 3.00.
BY THE NUMBERS: 6 — Times in franchise history the Astros have scored 12 or more runs while shutting out the other team.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s hard always trying to battle from behind. We’ve been in a bunch of close games, so it was nice to kind of have a little breather.” — CF Jordan Schafer, on the victory Sunday — the Astros’ most one-sided victory since they routed St. Louis 18-4 on Aug. 3, 2010.
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MLB Team Report – Houston Astros – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–OF Travis Buck (strained left hamstring) left the April 18 game and didn’t play April 19-22. He is day-to-day.
–LHP Sergio Escalona (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list April 4. He will miss the entire season.
ROTATION:
LHP Wandy Rodriguez
RHP Lucas Harrell
RHP Bud Norris
LHP J.A. Happ
RHP Kyle Weiland
BULLPEN:
RHP Brett Myers (closer)
RHP Brandon Lyon
RHP Wilton Lopez
RHP David Carpenter
RHP Fernando Rodriguez
LHP Wesley Wright
RHP Lucas Harrell
RHP Rhiner Cruz
CATCHERS:
C Jason Castro
C Chris Snyder
INFIELDERS:
1B Carlos Lee
2B Jose Altuve
SS Jed Lowrie
3B Chris Johnson
INF Marwin Gonzalez
INF Matt Downs
OUTFIELDERS:
CF Jordan Schafer
LF J.D. Martinez
RF Brian Bogusevic
OF Travis Buck
OF Justin Maxwell
