Astros’ early problems exposed in losses to Angels

The Houston Astros did not get blown out by bad luck in their first two games against the Los Angeles Angels. They got beat in the exact areas that usually decide tight early-season games: timely hitting, pitch execution, and lineup depth.

Thursday’s 3-0 loss was the cleaner example of the problem. Houston managed only three hits all night and never found a way to pressure Angels starter José Soriano for long. The Astros did draw some walks, and Christian Walker’s seventh-inning double briefly hinted at life, but the offense never built a real inning. Too many at-bats ended with weak contact or strikeouts, and when Yordan Alvarez was pitched around, nobody behind him made the Angels pay.

That issue carried into Friday’s 6-2 loss, even though the Astros actually hit the ball harder. Houston finished with eight hits and a slightly better expected batting average than the Angels, but the damage still was not there. Alvarez homered, Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña each collected multiple hits, and the club produced several balls with strong exit velocity. It just did not happen in the right sequence. Hard contact looks encouraging on paper, but when it turns into scattered singles, fly balls, and empty at-bats with men on base, it does not change the scoreboard.

The bigger concern may be on the mound. In both games, Houston let the Angels’ best hitters dictate too much of the action. Mike Trout homered in each contest and reached base repeatedly, while the Angels kept finding enough traffic to extend innings. On Friday, Josh Lowe and Zach Neto added home runs, and Los Angeles piled up 11 hits overall. That is too much against a Houston staff that usually wins by limiting free offense and forcing opponents to string hits together.

There is also a swing-and-miss problem developing early. Cam Smith, Isaac Paredes, and others were punched out in key spots over the two games, and the Astros have not yet looked like a lineup that can grind through tough velocity late in games. The Angels’ bullpen attacked them, and Houston did not adjust well enough.

Two games do not define a season, but they can expose early flaws. Right now, the Astros are hitting some balls hard, but not consistently enough, and they are giving up too many big moments to the other side. Against the Angels, that combination has been a losing formula.

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