MAKING THE GRADE
How Lovie Smith's report card is graded on a Houston Texans-size curve
Sep 28, 2022, 4:06 pm
How Lovie Smith's report card is graded on a Houston Texans-size curve
The Houston Texans have already underwhelmed in their first three games of the season, causing many fans and media to voice their doubts about QB Davis Mills, OC Pep Hamilton, and HC Lovie Smith.
Which begs the question, should the organization be patient with these guys? The answer is yes, if we consider the credibility Lovie Smith brings to the team that they haven't had in a while. And if we're being honest with ourselves, Lovie has a lot more to fix than just wins and losses over the first three games of 2022.
Finally, we lay out several reasons why there's no need to panic and the Texans still have time to get things moving in the right direction, Rex Burkhead aside.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.