Astros ride Cam Smith’s big night to victory over San Diego
TWICE IS NICE!
19 April
The Astros beat the Padres, 6-4. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.
Rookie Cam Smith homered on his first two at-bats and had a career-best four RBIs to power the Houston Astros to a 6-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
CAM SMOKES ONE!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/hI9YnN90Fg
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 19, 2025
Smith connected off Kyle Hart (2-1) on a three-run homer in the second inning to put the Astros on top and added a solo shot off the lefty in the fourth that made it 5-2.
TAKE 2.#BUILTFORTHIS pic.twitter.com/WA1aQgAi9e
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 19, 2025
San Diego's Luis Arraez, who had three hits, sent a high fastball from Bryan King into the first row in right field for a two-run homer that cut the lead to 5-4 in the seventh.
Jake Meyers tied a season high with three hits for the Astros, capped by a run-scoring single in the eighth to give them some insurance.
Houston starter Ryan Gusto (2-1) gave up nine hits and two runs in five innings. Josh Hader pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save.
The Padres went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
The Astros trailed by 1 with two on and two outs in the second inning when Smith sent his first home run into the seats in left field to make it 3-1.
An RBI single by Yainer Diaz extended the lead to 4-1 in the third.
Oscar Gonzalez cut the lead to 4-2 with an RBI single on a ground ball with one out in the fourth.
Smith’s second home run came on a full count in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 5-2.
Hart yielded 10 hits and five runs in five innings for his first loss this season after the team won each of his first three starts.
Key Moment
Smith's first home run that put the Astros on top for good.
Key Stat
Smith was 1 for 10 in Houston’s three-game series against St. Louis this week before breaking out Friday night.
Up Next
Houston RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 4.00 ERA) opposes RHP Michael King (3-0, 2.42) when the series continues Saturday night.
National media insider sounds off on why Texans deserve more respect
Jun 12, 2025, 3:59 pm
NFL analyst Albert Breer isn’t buying the quiet offseason surrounding the Houston Texans. In his view, the buzz — or lack of it — isn’t reflective of what this team actually is: a legitimate AFC contender that should be taken seriously in 2025.
Much of the skepticism, Breer believes, comes from surface-level narratives. The Texans went 10-7 in the regular season last year, a step back from the lofty expectations set after C.J. Stroud’s electric rookie year and Houston’s dramatic playoff push. And while the offense didn’t maintain its early-season explosion under Bobby Slowik, people seem to be overlooking how that same Texans team ended the year: as one of the last four teams standing in the AFC — alongside the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens.
In Breer’s eyes, Houston belongs in that group. The defense is championship-caliber, with rising stars and playmakers at every level. And offensively, the switch to Nick Caley as offensive coordinator could be just what the unit needs. Caley brings a fresh voice and perspective, and paired with a fully settled-in Stroud, the Texans are well-positioned to take another leap forward.
One moment Breer points to as underrated: Houston’s Divisional Round game against Kansas City at Arrowhead. While most remember the Texans bowing out of the playoffs there, many forget they were trailing by just one point going into the fourth quarter — toe-to-toe with the defending Super Bowl champs in one of the toughest environments in football.
The Texans’ current win total is set at 9.5 by oddsmakers — a line Breer believes is too low. His expectation? Twelve wins and another deep playoff run. To him, the narrative that Houston is being “slept on” will disappear soon enough — likely around the time the Texans remind everyone why they’re still a problem in the AFC.
You can watch the video below for the full conversation.
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