Houston Astros -Manager Joe Espada expresses an steadfast confidence in his club, especially when performances do not match great expectations or previous results.
Houston published a season high driving in total in a 14-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in the opener of a three-game series between the teams. Sex Houston Starters recorded several hit games, led by Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz, who both listed three hits and clubbed their first home run in the season.
Of greater importance was the collective performance with two outs. The astros amounted to nine two-out RBI against the angels. They got six runs in the fifth round after the first two beats retired. Houston thanked two two-out RBI in his four-run sixth.
“It builds confidence,” Espada said about production with two outs. “As a team, when you know you have the ability to damage with two outs and you think the inning can be over, but no, you can still press and get some runs. It is important.
“Our range, from one to nine, we can do things like that if we just stay within ourselves and understand that it will only take more than one guy to put the runs on the board as we did.”
Rookie Right Hander Ryan Gusto (1-0, 1.13 era) will make his first career start for Astros on Saturday and fills the Rotation site for Spencer Arrhetti (Broken Thumb).
Gusto has made four relief performances after making his first opening day list. He was Pitcher of Record in Astros’ 2-1, 12-inning victory over Seattle Mariners on Tuesday after working with a speechless inning. He led the Pacific Coast League in Strikeouts (141) and ERA (3.70) last season with Triple-A Sugar Land.
Gusto will make his first career look on the angels.
The left-hander Tyler Anderson (0-0, 4.50 era) has the starting assignment for the angels on Saturday. He did not fact in the decision in his home debut against Cleveland Guardians on Sunday after allowing two runs on one hit and four walks with five strikes over five rounds in Angels 6-2 victory.
Anderson is 1-5 with a 6.43 era over 11 career start against Astros. He took the loss on September 14, 2024, after allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikes over five rounds in a 5-3 home defeat.
At the same time, the angels placed flame-throwing shipper Ben Joyce on the 15-day damaged list Friday with right shoulder inflammation. Joyce experienced a noticeable decline in the speed of his last look, a 16-plant excursion against the Tampa Bay beams on Tuesday, when he allowed three runs on four hits while he only recorded one.
Joyce was a revelation last season when he finished 2-0 with a 2.08 era and 33 strikes over 34 2/3 rounds. His strike frequency dipped from 8.6 strikes per nine rounds in 2024 to 2.1 in five performances this season.
“We have no idea the length, but we will surely back him up and let him rest,” said Angels -Manager Ron Washington. “And we know more when we continue to see where it is.
“We really have no panic on this page. We want to make sure Joyce is good.”
-Field level media
