The Houston Astros will look to get more out of their bats when they kick off a six-game road trip on Tuesday with the opener of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Astros’ offense has slowed over the past month, scoring three runs or fewer in 18 of 31 games since the trade deadline on Aug. 3, including five of six games this month.
In September, the Astros are batting .211 with a .287 on-base percentage and a .340 slugging percentage, all of which rank among the seven worst figures in the majors during that span. Houston managed just eight runs over 28 innings of its three-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend, dropping the last two after opening with a victory.
Despite the offensive struggles, Houston (73-71) logged eight wins in the past 13 games and holds a two-game lead over the Texas Rangers (71-73) for the top spot in the American League West.
“I like our fight, and we’re in a really good spot,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I like how our guys are just grinding through some really good pitching that we saw the last two weeks.”
The struggles of Jeremy Pena haven’t helped. The shortstop and leadoff hitter is batting .083 (2-for-24) with no RBIs, seven strikeouts and one walk in September. Last month, he hit .204 (21-for-103) with five homers, 12 RBIs, 35 strikeouts and five walks in 25 games.
“I’m just working on putting together good ABs, having a good plan going up to the plate and executing,” Pena said. “It’s a matter of swinging at better pitches and getting pitches you can handle. Good things happen when you swing at good pitches.”
Hayden Wesneski (4-1, 3.18 ERA) will get the nod for the Astros on Tuesday. The right-hander has made four career appearances (two starts) against Philadelphia, going 1-1 with a 4.96 ERA.
Wesneski, 28, is coming off his best start of the season. He fired seven shutout innings and yielded one hit in a no-decision against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, striking out five and walking two.
The Phillies will counter with Andrew Painter (3-8, 5.55 ERA). The 23-year-old rookie right-hander will be facing Houston for the first time.
Like his Tuesday mound opponent, Painter also threw seven scoreless innings en route to a no-decision his last time out. He permitted two hits and no walks while striking six against Arizona on Wednesday.
Painter witnessed a gem of a start from teammate Jesus Luzardo on Monday — a two-hit, 12-strikeout complete-game effort in a 1-0 victory against the Atlanta Braves. The left-hander threw 109 pitches, 78 of them for strikes.
Kyle Schwarber delivered the lone run, mashing his major-league-high 43rd home run of the season with two outs in the eighth inning.
“You’re trying to find a way on base,” said Schwarber, who has homered in three straight games. “It’s not thinking slug. It’s not thinking anything like that. It’s just trying to find a way on. And obviously (reliever Didier Fuentes has) a really good heater and good other pitches but leaves one (in the) middle and it’s just able to get the barrel there to it, and it takes off.”
Philadelphia (81-63) salvaged a split against Atlanta (85-59) in the four-game series, cutting the Braves’ lead in the National League East to four games. The Phillies are a half-game ahead of the Chicago Cubs (81-64) for the first NL wild-card spot.
–Field Level Media
