Early season struggles continue for Astros
Astros daily report: Rays 3, Astros 1
Mar 31, 2019, 2:24 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
A quick breakdown of the series finale between the Astros and Rays on Sunday:
Final Score: Rays 3, Astros 1
Record: 1-3, fifth in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Yonny Chirinos (1-0).
Losing pitcher: Wade Miley (0-1).
Star of the game: Jake Marisnick was the only bright spot in an otherwise disappointing game. He was responsible for the lone run on his solo home run and two of the only three hits of the afternoon.
Notes: Miley's first inning as an Astro did not go as planned, giving up a run on three hits to put the Rays up 1-0. Jake Marisnick tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the third, but Austin Meadows broke the tie in the bottom of the inning, blasting a two-run homer to center field off of Miley to make it 3-1. That score would go final after Yonny Chirinos made easy work of the Astros over seven innings before Tampa Bay's bullpen closed the door to hand Houston the series loss.
Up next: The Astros will travel to Arlington tonight to start a three-game set against the Rangers tomorrow night at 7:05 PM. Brad Peacock will get his 2019 season underway as the number five starter in Houston's rotation, while Drew Smyly will be on the mound for the Rangers.
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The Houston Astros are promoting first baseman Joey Loperfido from Triple-A Sugar Land as they try to solve problems at the position.
The team announced Monday that Loperfido will be added to the roster before the start of Tuesday night’s series against Cleveland.
Joey Loperfido is H-Town bound. #Relentless pic.twitter.com/yIQulY7lTm
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 29, 2024
The move comes with veteran first baseman José Abreu off to a terrible start as the Astros have limped out to a 9-19 record, which is the second-worst in the American League. Abreu, who is in the second year of a three-year, $58.5 million contract, is hitting .099 with just one extra-base hit and three RBIs. In 77 plate appearances across 22 games this season, the 37-year-old has managed just seven hits.
The left-handed Loperfido will join the Astros after getting off to a terrific start in Sugar Land where he hit .287 with 13 homers and 27 RBIs in 25 games. The 13 homers lead the minor leagues and he's tied for third with 17 extra-base hits.
The 24-year-old, who is rated as Houston’s No. 6 prospect by MLB.com, was a seventh-round pick from Duke in the 2021 amateur draft. Loperfido, who is also an outfielder, spent four seasons in the team’s minor league system and was named Astros minor league player of the year last season.
Pitchers have nightmares about this man.
Joey Loperfido’s 13th home run of the season leads all of professional baseball 👏
📏 428 FT pic.twitter.com/XlxF821Azm
— Sugar Land Space Cowboys (@SLSpaceCowboys) April 28, 2024
The Astros will make a corresponding roster move Tuesday when he is activated.