Astros’ Hooks Looking for Answers to Inconsistent Play

Defense and Pitching

For what it’s worth, Mayfield did commit three errors in the field this week, half of the Hooks seven defensive miscues over the seven-game span. The pitching was just as uninspiring getting rocked this week to the tune of 59 runs in 61 innings. Notable exceptions was a brilliant performance from Francis Martes and a decent start from Edison Frias.

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Martes has maintained better than eight strikeouts per nine innings with seven punchouts in six innings of one-run ball in Thursday’s 4-3 victory over the Springfield Cardinals. Martes has struck out at least five batters in six of his last seven outings. He is 3-1 in that span.

Frias worked six innings on July 4th, allowing no earned runs and six hits in a losing effort. Frias committed a throwing error in a three-run fifth inning, resulting in three unearned runs before the inning came to a close. Frias had another throwing error on a pickoff attempt in the fourth. On the mound Frias looked sharp, facing no more than four batters in every inning except the aforementioned fifth inning in which he allowed three hits and walked one.

Unfortunately, the usually reliable Hooks pitching staff went downhill from there. Evan Grills allowed 11 runs in 5 innings, and every pitcher that came into the game for Corpus Christi allowed at least two runs except Chris Cotton, who worked an inning and a third, allowing one hit and one walk. Their pitching staff posted a 7.08 ERA for the week. They will try and turn things around next week with series against Frisco and Midland.

***Stats from MILB.com***