There’s some doubt that the Houston Astros have the starting pitching to win the American League West.
Imagine how much trouble they might be in if right-hander Peter Lambert hadn’t suddenly blossomed into their most dependable starting pitcher this season.
Lambert will try to keep the best year of his career going Saturday against the Padres in San Diego.
After going 8-19 in 74 games (35 starts) over parts of four years with Colorado, Lambert went 3-11 last year in 21 starts for Yakult in Japan.
Looking for some depth, Houston picked him up and unlocked the version of Lambert the Rockies tried to find for nine years.
Lambert (8-5, 3.06 ERA) is coming off a solid outing in his team’s 7-3 win Sunday over Texas, striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings while allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in a no-decision.
Lambert, 29, is 1-2 with a 7.67 ERA in nine career games (four starts) against San Diego.
The Astros maintained their 1 1/2-game lead on Texas in the American League West with a 6-3 win in Friday night’s series opener. Houston received two solo homers from Cam Smith that upped his average to .222.
“He’s swinging the bat really well, driving the ball and not missing his pitches,” Houston manager Joe Espada said of Smith. “He was really locking it in. It’s just time and experience; he’s worked with the hitting coach trying to get the barrel out. We need more of that.”
Smith has 13 hits in his last 30 at-bats, upping his average a whopping 18 points in that span. Those contributions are one reason the Astros have won 13 of the last 16 games.
Tasked with quieting the Houston bats is Michael King (6-8, 3.44), who’s looking for his first win since July 8. He’s coming off a 5-1 loss Monday night at Arizona, when he worked five-plus innings and allowed three runs on five hits while striking out five.
King is 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA in eight career outings against the Astros.
While Houston is rolling, San Diego lost ground Friday night, dropping two games behind Arizona and Philadelphia for the National League’s last wild-card spot. The Padres cut a four-run deficit to 4-3 but missed on late chances for a big hit that might have put them on top.
Pinch hitter Ty France struck out with two on to end the sixth inning and Luis Rengifo grounded out to strand the bases loaded in the seventh.
“Just couldn’t quite come through against their bullpen,” manager Craig Stammen said.
The Padres also squashed a third inning threat with a major baserunning gaffe. Sung-Mun Song, who led off with a single and reached second on an error, tried to steal third with Fernando Tatis Jr. batting and was nailed.
Stammen, who earlier in the year excused a similar gaffe by Tatis, wasn’t quite as forgiving this time.
“I should have had a red light for him down 3-0,” Stammen said. “Maybe I trust our baserunners a little bit too much in that situation.”
–Field Level Media
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