Jered Weaver (0-1, 4.26) vs Scott Feldman (1-0, 0.00)
Against Angels #5 starter Tyler Skaggs last night, the Astros struggled to hit the ball out of the infield. But against Angels ace Jered Weaver today, they had no trouble with that at all. Four times Houston took Weaver deep in five innings, then added one more homer against the Los Angeles bullpen. The result was a 7-4 Astros win, pulling their 2014 record back even at 3-3.
On the Mound:
*The Astros turned over the rotation for the first time in 2014, and Scott Feldman once again pitched like the ace he's been dubbed. He was touched for a run this time, but only one, over seven solid innings, finishing with a 7 IP / 3 H / 1 R / 1 ER / 2 BB / 1 K line.
*Anthony Bass pitched a perfect 8th, but then ran into all kinds of trouble in the 9th, allowing 3 runs (all earned) on 4 hits in 1.1 IP total.
*Chad Qualls came to the rescue following Bass in the 9th, and while he did allow a single that let one inherited runner score, he got the other two outs to tie up his first save of the season.
At the Plate:
*Seven hits for the Astros today, and five of them were homers. Jason Castro returned to the lineup and kicked off the Home Run Derby with a two-run blast in the 1st. He finished 1x4 with a K.
*Next was Matt Dominguez, with a solo shot in the 2nd for his second HR of the year. He'd finish 1x3.
*Jesus Guzman also launched his second HR of the season, with a solo shot of his own in the 4th. He also added a single to go 2x4 with a K.
*Alex Presley got the start in center again with Dexter Fowler still out, and he tallied his first Astros HR with a solo shot in the 5th, finishing 1x3.
*That was it for Jered Weaver, but not for the Astros, as Jonathan Villar added a two-run homer off Matt Shoemaker in the 7th. Villar also turned a fine 6-4 double play on a line drive in the field and finished his nice day 1x3 with 2 R and a SB.
*L.J. Hoes was the only Astro to get a hit but not a homer, but he still scored a run, finishing 1x3 with a K.
Turning Point:
When Jered Weaver hit Jonathan Villar with his second pitch of the game, it may have been a sign that he wasn't as sharp as usual today. After Villar stole second, Weaver knocked down a liner from Robbie Grossman for out #1, but then Jason Castro quickly made it 2-0 Houston. It was 4-0 Houston before the Angels scored a run, and 7-1 Houston until Anthony Bass had trouble in the 9th, so this one was all Astros, all the way.
Man of the Match:
Scott Feldman. Of course he won't be this great every time out, but he's certainly been better than advertised so far.
Goat of the Game:
Robbie Grossman. 0x4 with 3 K, dropping his average to .091 in the early going.
