How Dusty Baker may have finally restored order to Astros lineup, Houston offense
BACK ON TRACK
02 June 2023
BACK ON TRACK
The return of Jose Altuve has definitely given the Astros' offense a spark, as expected, but his arrival also created an opportunity for a ripple effect in the batting order. It took some time, but Dusty Baker has finally gone back to a similar lineup from the postseason, which was clearly effective for the club.
Slotting Jeremy Pena back in the 2-hole, and moving Alex Bregman to cleanup seems to be the secret sauce for the team. As excited as we are to see the offense get going, many question why it took so long for Dusty Baker to make the switch. Especially considering that Jose Abreu has been the worst offensive player on the team, and Baker continued to bat Abreu fourth with no success for almost a third of the season.
So will this be the set order moving forward, or is there still some tinkering to do with the lineup to maximize results?
Be sure to watch the video above as we break it all down!
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.