Blame game: Why the Rockets defense is a mess
POINT BLANK PRESENTED BY FITZ ROOFING
06 November 2019
POINT BLANK PRESENTED BY FITZ ROOFING
The season is just getting started for the Rockets, but the theme of not being able to defend is starting to become quite evident.
It's easy to just blame the players for their lack of performance on defense, but the coaches and front office have to be held accountable too.
ESPN 97.5's Joel Blank weighs in on who deserves the most blame for the team's defensive woes. Point Blank is presented by Fitz Roofing.
Isaac Paredes hit a three-run homer to cap Houston’s five-run second inning, Hayden Wesneski struck out a career-high 10 and the Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 on Sunday.
BACK TO BACK TO BACK GAMES FOR ISAAC! 5-2 STROS! pic.twitter.com/vJgDegQPiW
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 13, 2025
Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubón hit RBI singles off Angels starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) before Paredes launched his home run into the Crawford Boxes to give the Astros a 5-2 lead. Paredes has homered in three straight games, all to left field.
Cam gets us on the board!#TheNextFrontier pic.twitter.com/BV54PgM1NH
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 13, 2025
Jeremy Peña had an RBI groundout in the sixth and Jose Altuve hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Wesneski (1-1) allowed three runs — all on solo home runs — and five hits in six innings. He retired 11 straight during one stretch before Kevin Newman’s two-out single in the fifth.
Taylor Ward led off for the Angels with a solo homer, his 10th career leadoff home run. He has five homers in his last five games.
Nolan Schanuel hit a solo shot in the second and Jorge Soler hit a solo home run in the sixth.
Hendricks allowed five runs and four hits in four innings. Hendricks had allowed two runs over 11 innings in his first two starts this season.
With runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh, Bryan Abreu struck out Ward to end the inning and keep Houston ahead by three.
Houston pitching combined for 16 strikeouts and no walks.
After an off day Monday, Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-2, 5.00 ERA) starts Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Texas. Houston LHP Framber Valdez (1-1, 2.50) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis.