{"id":357594,"date":"2026-06-12T08:58:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/357594\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T08:58:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:58:19","slug":"houston-astros-struggling-offense-results-in-missed-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/357594\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston Astros: Struggling offense results in missed opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Christian<\/p>\n

Christian Walker and the Astros’ offense failed to generate many scoring threats during Wednesday’s 10-inning loss to the Angels.<\/p>\n

Melina Pizano\/Getty Images\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers (48) delivers against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (27) is greeted by Jose Siri (28) after Trout’s solo home run against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) kneels on the ground after losing his balance after hitting a foul ball against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers fails to catch a home run by Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout (27) during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) loses his balance after hitting a foul ball against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) delivers against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) looks away as Los Angeles Angels Logan O’Hoppe (14) rounds third base after O’Hoppe’s solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker can’t locate a pop up by Los Angeles Angels Logan O’Hoppe during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Angels Jose Siri celebrates his game-winning single against the Houston Astros during the 10th inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) is tagged out by Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe at home plate during the ninth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Houston<\/p>\n

Houston Astros Cam Smith celebrates his game-tying solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante\"Los<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Angels bullpen members and fans join Houston Astros left fielder Brice Matthews (0) in watching Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe’s home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante)<\/p>\n

Scott Strazzante\/AP Photo\/Scott Strazzante<\/p>\n

ANAHEIM, Calif.\u00a0\u2014 For nine innings Wednesday, the Houston Astros<\/a> did not take an at-bat with a runner in scoring position. A 10th inning gifted them the opportunity. Jeremy Pe\u00f1a, perhaps their fastest player, jogged out to second base, entering the game as the extra-innings runner.<\/p>\n

Three hitters could not advance him. Ryan Zeferjahn struck out Isaac Paredes swinging at a full-count sweeper. A wild pitch to Cam Smith moved Pe\u00f1a to third, but Smith took a called third strike to end a nine-pitch skirmish.<\/p>\n

The Angels intentionally walked left-handed Joey Loperfido to set up a platoon matchup against Shay Whitcomb. Houston manager Joe Espada had exhausted his bench. Whitcomb, taking his 23rd major-league at-bat this season, produced a check-swing ground out to finish the inning.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

It put a listless point on a series that ended a half-inning later, when former Astros outfielder Jose Siri struck a walk-off single against Bryan Abreu, and for Houston had to be a disappointment. The Angels own the worst record in the American League. The Astros are struggling to salvage theirs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we talk in hitters\u2019 meetings and I have conversations with the hitters, we\u2019re confident, we know what we\u2019re capable of,\u201d first baseman Christian Walker said after the 3-2 loss<\/a>. \u201cBut I think that\u2019s the beautiful thing of baseball is getting 30 people firing on all cylinders is elusive sometimes.<\/p>\n

\u201cPitchers have been awesome. I think now it\u2019s getting the offense back on track. I think we\u2019re game planning right, we\u2019re strategizing right, we\u2019re preparing the right way. Execution feels like a different category. So just keep our heads up and try to build some momentum here on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

This stretch of scheduling feels paramount. Houston took two of three from the A\u2019s over the weekend to start a run of seven of eight series against teams with sub-.500 records. Monday, general manager Dana Brown declared that span will \u201cgive us a chance to see what we\u2019re made of.\u201d<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

A visit to Angel Stadium offered an apparent chance to build momentum. After a 10-inning win Monday<\/a>, instead, the Astros’ offense went quiet against a pitching staff allowing the fourth-most runs per game in the majors. A brutal start sunk them<\/a> Tuesday. A series loss left them eight games under at 31-39.<\/p>\n

An offense that is nearly as whole as it can hope to become totaled 17 hits and 38 strikeouts across the three games. It stranded 11 runners in a 10-1 loss Tuesday before having five hitters reach base over 10 innings in the finale, illustrating the unit\u2019s inconsistency across the past month-plus.<\/p>\n

Overall, consistency for the Astros remains elusive. Aside from a four-game winning streak on their last road trip, they have not strung together more than two wins since their opening homestand. They have won back-to-back series just once this season, inviting the question of what a legitimate run will take.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think runners in scoring position and situations like that, just hunker down and battle,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI had a chance to get us on the board one more time my last at-bat, but I let that one go. I kind of let my guys down there. But yeah, just keep battling, keep hunkering down in those situations and compete.\u201d<\/p>\n

BATTERS
\nAVG
\nOBA
\nAB
\nR
\nH
\n2B
\n3B
\nHR
\nRBI
\nBB
\nSO
\nSB
\nCS
\nE<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n.242
\n.318
\n2353
\n315
\n570
\n114
\n5
\n88
\n303
\n236
\n586
\n24
\n12
\n28<\/p>\n

Wade
\n.333
\n.385
\n12
\n2
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n1
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Alvarez
\n.316
\n.430
\n247
\n46
\n78
\n13
\n0
\n22
\n48
\n46
\n53
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a
\n.281
\n.348
\n121
\n23
\n34
\n7
\n0
\n3
\n12
\n10
\n20
\n5
\n1
\n5<\/p>\n

Correa
\n.279
\n.369
\n122
\n22
\n34
\n8
\n0
\n3
\n16
\n18
\n26
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Trammell
\n.275
\n.333
\n69
\n8
\n19
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n6
\n5
\n27
\n1
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Loperfido
\n.258
\n.347
\n62
\n7
\n16
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n7
\n8
\n21
\n1
\n1
\n1<\/p>\n

Allen
\n.250
\n.290
\n64
\n12
\n16
\n2
\n0
\n1
\n5
\n3
\n14
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Walker
\n.249
\n.319
\n257
\n39
\n64
\n13
\n1
\n16
\n48
\n23
\n61
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Shewmake
\n.243
\n.260
\n74
\n8
\n18
\n3
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n2
\n13
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Diaz
\n.238
\n.255
\n101
\n7
\n24
\n5
\n0
\n2
\n14
\n3
\n16
\n0
\n1
\n0<\/p>\n

Paredes
\n.236
\n.332
\n229
\n27
\n54
\n12
\n0
\n9
\n33
\n26
\n45
\n0
\n0
\n6<\/p>\n

V\u00e1zquez
\n.234
\n.291
\n137
\n14
\n32
\n6
\n0
\n4
\n19
\n11
\n25
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Altuve
\n.232
\n.314
\n181
\n30
\n42
\n10
\n0
\n5
\n13
\n21
\n45
\n1
\n2
\n2<\/p>\n

Harris
\n.226
\n.286
\n31
\n4
\n7
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n4
\n2
\n6
\n2
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Smith
\n.220
\n.309
\n227
\n27
\n50
\n10
\n1
\n7
\n26
\n26
\n72
\n8
\n1
\n4<\/p>\n

Meyers
\n.212
\n.275
\n99
\n10
\n21
\n4
\n0
\n2
\n9
\n8
\n22
\n1
\n2
\n0<\/p>\n

Matthews
\n.204
\n.254
\n157
\n16
\n32
\n4
\n1
\n4
\n15
\n11
\n55
\n2
\n4
\n1<\/p>\n

Price
\n.200
\n.273
\n10
\n1
\n2
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Dezenzo
\n.191
\n.255
\n47
\n5
\n9
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n2
\n4
\n19
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Cole
\n.157
\n.189
\n51
\n4
\n8
\n1
\n0
\n3
\n8
\n1
\n21
\n0
\n0
\n1<\/p>\n

Johnson
\n.143
\n.294
\n14
\n1
\n2
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Whitcomb
\n.130
\n.167
\n23
\n2
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n2
\n5
\n1
\n11
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n.056
\n.227
\n18
\n0
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

PITCHERS
\nW
\nL
\nERA
\nG
\nGS
\nSV
\nIP
\nH
\nR
\nER
\nHR
\nBB
\nSO<\/p>\n

Team Totals
\n31
\n39
\n4.85
\n70
\n70
\n17
\n617.1
\n557
\n353
\n333
\n89
\n329
\n588<\/p>\n

Hader
\n1
\n0
\n0.00
\n4
\n0
\n1
\n4
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n7<\/p>\n

VanWey
\n0
\n0
\n0.00
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n3
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n0
\n5<\/p>\n

Brown
\n1
\n0
\n0.84
\n2
\n2
\n0
\n10.2
\n5
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n6
\n17<\/p>\n

Santa
\n0
\n1
\n0.90
\n6
\n0
\n0
\n10
\n3
\n5
\n1
\n0
\n5
\n8<\/p>\n

Arrighetti
\n7
\n1
\n2.21
\n10
\n10
\n0
\n57
\n37
\n16
\n14
\n3
\n31
\n53<\/p>\n

King
\n0
\n1
\n2.51
\n26
\n0
\n6
\n28.2
\n26
\n10
\n8
\n1
\n11
\n22<\/p>\n

Okert
\n0
\n0
\n3.00
\n31
\n1
\n0
\n30
\n18
\n10
\n10
\n3
\n10
\n26<\/p>\n

De Los Santos
\n0
\n1
\n3.07
\n27
\n0
\n4
\n29.1
\n22
\n11
\n10
\n2
\n7
\n28<\/p>\n

Lambert
\n5
\n4
\n3.47
\n10
\n10
\n0
\n57
\n44
\n22
\n22
\n5
\n25
\n53<\/p>\n

Teng
\n3
\n5
\n3.71
\n20
\n7
\n0
\n51
\n41
\n24
\n21
\n6
\n24
\n49<\/p>\n

Pearson
\n0
\n0
\n4.05
\n6
\n0
\n1
\n6.2
\n5
\n3
\n3
\n1
\n4
\n7<\/p>\n

Blubaugh
\n3
\n2
\n4.22
\n27
\n0
\n0
\n42.2
\n31
\n20
\n20
\n5
\n24
\n37<\/p>\n

Roa
\n0
\n1
\n5.19
\n7
\n0
\n0
\n8.2
\n10
\n5
\n5
\n1
\n7
\n6<\/p>\n

Imai
\n3
\n3
\n5.24
\n8
\n8
\n0
\n34.1
\n25
\n20
\n20
\n5
\n23
\n36<\/p>\n

Bolton
\n0
\n1
\n5.40
\n8
\n3
\n1
\n20
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n3
\n14
\n22<\/p>\n

Burrows
\n3
\n8
\n5.77
\n13
\n13
\n0
\n73.1
\n87
\n49
\n47
\n17
\n28
\n60<\/p>\n

Abreu
\n2
\n3
\n6.85
\n26
\n0
\n4
\n22.1
\n20
\n19
\n17
\n5
\n24
\n31<\/p>\n

McCullers
\n2
\n3
\n6.86
\n8
\n8
\n0
\n39.1
\n38
\n32
\n30
\n7
\n22
\n43<\/p>\n

Murray
\n0
\n0
\n7.15
\n7
\n0
\n0
\n11.1
\n16
\n9
\n9
\n0
\n7
\n5<\/p>\n

Weiss
\n0
\n3
\n7.62
\n9
\n2
\n0
\n26
\n35
\n24
\n22
\n8
\n20
\n30<\/p>\n

France
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n6.2
\n6
\n6
\n6
\n1
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Sousa
\n0
\n0
\n8.10
\n5
\n0
\n0
\n3.1
\n3
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n5
\n4<\/p>\n

Salazar
\n0
\n0
\n9.00
\n1
\n0
\n0
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n1
\n0
\n0<\/p>\n

Alexander
\n1
\n1
\n9.33
\n4
\n2
\n0
\n18.1
\n21
\n19
\n19
\n4
\n8
\n14<\/p>\n

Gordon
\n0
\n0
\n11.57
\n4
\n1
\n0
\n9.1
\n21
\n12
\n12
\n6
\n3
\n11<\/p>\n

Javier
\n0
\n1
\n12.54
\n3
\n3
\n0
\n9.1
\n13
\n13
\n13
\n2
\n9
\n4<\/p>\n

Mu\u00f1oz
\n0
\n0
\n15.75
\n3
\n0
\n0
\n4
\n7
\n7
\n7
\n3
\n6
\n6<\/p>\n

Smith drove in one of Houston\u2019s two runs Wednesday with a game-tying home run in the eighth inning off reliever Chase Silseth. That came after Angels starter Reid Detmers retired 21 of 22 batters faced, a solo home run by\u00a0Whitcomb, starting just his third game for the Astros this season, the exception.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

It was a different route than Tuesday, when the Astros put seven men on base in the first three innings against Walbert Ure\u00f1a and failed to score, but to a similar result. Tuesday, the Angels jumping Kai-Wei Teng<\/a> for seven runs yielded a rout from which Espada removed his regulars for the final three innings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs an offense you look back with hindsight and there\u2019s always things you could have done better,\u201d Walker said. \u201cBut if guys are hitting edges and they\u2019re making good pitches \u2026\u00a0Detmers felt like his was a little more intentional today, but yesterday with Ure\u00f1a spraying it a little bit but missing inside corner, finding outside corner, something like that, it\u2019s just as effective. Just a different way to go about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walker drove in two runs Monday. Otherwise, the 1-through-5 spots in the Houston order drove in one run in the series, via a Brice Matthews pinch-hit single Tuesday. The hope is Jose Altuve\u2019s return will lengthen that lineup. Altuve helped produce a win Monday with his aggressive baserunning yet is 2-for-18 with six strikeouts since returning from an oblique strain after just a 19-day absence.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little weird, but I\u2019m going up there trying,\u201d Altuve said Monday night when asked how he is feeling at the plate. \u201cI know sometimes the results aren\u2019t there when I want it. But hopefully I\u2019m going to get back to my timing and everything after missing those two weeks. But just go one game at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Altuve led off Wednesday, with Pe\u00f1a receiving a scheduled off day, and went hitless.\u00a0Paredes also went hitless and was 1-for-10 in the series. Solo homers by Whitcomb and Smith comprised the Astros\u2019 scoring, welcome production from younger players but which projects as complementary.<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand that we\u2019re all in this together and they\u2019re trying to do the best they can,\u201d Espada said. \u201cThey\u2019re trying to push us forward and take some of that load away from the top of our order.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the ninth Wednesday, the top nearly delivered. Alvarez lined a two-out single. Walker pulled a double into the left-field corner. Wade Meckler played the carom cleanly, cutting into the chances of a majority of runners scoring from first. Alvarez was held at third as cutoff man Zach Neto received Meckler\u2019s throw.<\/p>\n

Neto, nonetheless, wheeled a throw home. It sailed wide, hit Paredes on the leg near the on-deck circle, and bounced toward the Astros\u2019 dugout. Alvarez broke for the plate. Reliever Sam Bachman, backing up the play, retrieved the ball and threw. Alvarez slid and was called safe. A review overturned it. The game stayed tied. An inning later, it slipped away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d just say it\u2019s baseball, things happen like that,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAnd we came up short.\u201d<\/p>\n

Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Christian Walker and the Astros’ offense failed to generate many scoring threats during Wednesday’s 10-inning loss to the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":357595,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[163,165,164],"class_list":["post-357594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-anaheim","tag-anaheim","tag-anaheim-headlines","tag-anaheim-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=357594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357594\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=357594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=357594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}