The Astros and Padres may share practice fieldsand scrimmage fun during the week but Saturday was the real deal when they met at Maplewood Park.
To start with the Astros team got a big emotional lift as senior starter Brian Nichols was finally able to return from a broken elbow and see his first action of the season.
Welcome back "No Fear"!!
The back and forth contest got started quick as Taylor Leonard came up first and hit a single. Next up was Ruairi Murphy who took two practice swings before rocking the ball deep into left field for a two run homer.
The bottom of the first had the Astros showing some great defense allowing just one run and Ryan Svopa,3 for 3 hitting and 1 RBI,showed a lot ofcourage,playingcatcher for the first time, took a foul tip to the helmet but stayed in and played great.
In the top of the second Josh Williams proved "it ain't over till it's over". One swing away from striking out Josh hit four foul balls then finally whacked a base hit.
Grady Vandiver ,1 for2 hitting and one RBI, showed his toughness at bat hanging in there after getting hit in the hand twice inthe same spot.
The Astros kept their team battingaverage above .700 as the top of the third they turned into a hitting machine!
It wasdeja-vueas Taylor hit a double and Ruairi came up again this time hitting a triple scoring Taylor.Up next was Ryan getting a single and hitting in Ruairi, Christopher Radicehit anothersingle followed by Mark Silver hitting asingle followed by Charlie Stuve hitting in Ryan, Josh up next hitting in Christopher then Grady uphitting in Mark to end the inning with five runs! Whoa!!
Defensively in the third Taylor made a good stop at short-stop to hold the Padres to a single and Daniel Alarie, 1 for 2 hitting, finished off the Padres with a excellent play at first for the final out.
Matthew Lavallee got things going in the forth with his best hit of the season getting a double followed "again" by Taylor's hit bringing home Matt and "again" Ruairi for his third hit.
The forth inning was again solid defensively for the Astros with Charlie making an out at first and the high light coming from Ruairi making a basket catch at third off a sky high flypop.
The Astros were without speedy Ronnie Worley and #1 catcher AJ Rizcko. Hats off to Christopher,Ryan and Mark for stepping in to wear the catchers gear for the first time ever and doing great!