HOUSTON — Cam Smith is on the board.
Smith, the wunderkind prospect who made the Houston Astros’ roster after just 134 professional plate appearances, launched his first major-league home run in the eighth inning of Friday’s 14-3 shellacking of the Los Angeles Angels.
Smith crushed a 1-1 changeup on the inner third of his strike zone for a 370-foot blast that snuck into the first few rows of the Crawford Boxes. It would’ve left only eight other major-league ballparks, according to Statcast.
The home run continued an encouraging stretch for Smith, who started his major-league career with nine strikeouts and two singles in his first 18 at-bats. Manager Joe Espada sat Smith on Sunday and Monday for Houston’s hitting coaches to implement some adjustments in his batting stance and proximity to home plate.
Advertisement
Smith is 6-for-11 since sitting out those two games. He drove in his first big-league run with a triple on Tuesday in Seattle before adding two more extra-base hits during Friday’s drubbing of the Angels.
Perhaps the most encouraging swing of all arrived two frames before Smith’s first home run. Facing Angels reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks, Smith ambushed a first-pitch sinker into center field for a stand-up double. Coaches had implored him to hunt fastballs early in the count and avoid hitting everything to the opposite field.
Smith accomplished both tasks here, eliciting a wild celebration at second base during a blowout game. Two innings later, more excitement ensued.
(Photo: Michael Wyke / Associated Press)
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
NBA playoffs: Draymond Green mocks Rockets’ Jalen Green in confrontation after Warriors’ Game 3 win
You will not be surprised to hear the Houston Rockets have a bone or two to pick with Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. It was true during Saturday's Game 3, and quite apparent immediately after the game.As the buzzer sounded on the Warriors' 104-93 win over the Rockets to take a 2-1 series lead, Rockets wing Jalen Green approached the elder Green at the logo, and was angry enough that teammate Fred VanVleet had to step between them.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs the younger Green was led away, his veteran counterpart made an unmistakable gesture of painting his nails, a dig at something the Rockets star is known to enjoy doing. That didn't help Jalen cool down.Both players downplayed the incident after the game, with Jalen Green attempting to minimize Draymond's contributions during the game:"It was just talking. He can't really do much […]
Wendie Renard on her career so far: ‘It’s an adventure which starts with these players’
Wendie Renard went straight to the dressing room. She was fuming.Farid Benstiti, Lyon Feminin’s head coach at the time, had taken a then 17-year-old Renard off in the 61st minute, four minutes after the French side had conceded an equaliser in the first leg of a UEFA Women’s Cup (today’s Champions League) semi-final at home against Sweden’s Umea.AdvertisementIt was March 2008.The teenager tossed a hairdryer across the dressing-room floor and kicked a bin.“I was really angry — not with anyone else but myself,” Renard tells The Athletic. “It was unacceptable to make that kind of mistake and concede a goal in that way.”Renard had tried to protect the ball by the corner flag but Brazilian forward Marta picked her pocket. Renard then fell over and Marta cut the ball back to Madelaine Edlund, who levelled the score. Renard felt ashamed […]
Brutální noc. Čeští tvrďáci v kleci likvidovali soupeře, zápřah pro doktory
Kdo galavečer na západu Čech sledoval, zajisté se nenudil. V brutálním stylu se předvedl například věčně usměvavý Daniel Škvor. Německý rival Marc Doussis ho sice hned úvodní úderem poslal na lopatky a s českými ambicemi to vypadalo bledě, domácí čahoun ale zavelel k obratu a po rychlém ataku vytasil ukázkové K. O. Soupeř bezvládně padl k zemi a na nohy mu museli pomáhat zdravotníci. V akci byla také nosítka.„Doufám, že nemá nic s čelistí a bude v pohodě,“ přál si Škvor bezprostředně po duelu a zmínil také pasáž, jež jej málem stála triumf. „Byla to školácká chyba, ale stane se. Když jsem vstal, tak jsem cítil, že to otočím. Super výhra,“ radoval se holohlavý muž a zmínil i možnou odvetu s šampionem polotěžké váhy Willem Fleurym, který s ním loni zametl ve druhém kole na arm-triangle choke.Andrej Kalašnik a jeho KO. Maté Kertész má takovou velkou bradu, tak by to byl zločin netrefit. Video: Sport.czA co […]
Skvělý Hertl vyhlášen druhou hvězdou zápasu, dopomohl k vyrovnání série
Podrobnosti připravujeme.1. kolo play off NHL:Východní konference - 3. zápas:Florida - Tampa Bay 1:5 (stav série. 2:1)Východní konference - 4. zápas:Ottawa - Toronto 4:3 v prodl. (stav série: 1:3)Západní konference - 4. zápasy:Minnesota - Vegas 3:4 v prodl. (stav série 2:2)Colorado - Dallas 4:0 (stav série 2:2)
Steph Curry heats up with Jimmy Butler out, Warriors take 2-1 lead over Rockets
<!--> Stephen Curry eventually found his shooting groove while Houston tried everything to stop him, finishing with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Rockets 104-93 on Saturday night without Jimmy Butler for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.Playoff Steph delivered while Playoff Jimmy became his biggest cheerleader on the bench — in a full-length fur coat.Buddy Hield had 17 points off the bench with five 3-pointers as the Warriors won their sixth straight Game 3 in the opening round. Gary Payton II scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.ADVERTISEMENT -->Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night at Chase Center. The biggest question will be whether Butler can heal in time to contribute.The Warriors missed their do-everything forward after he suffered a pelvic injury and […]
Brasileiro feminino: Expansão do campeonato nos próximos anos pode impactar qualidade na elite
Em 2027, o futebol feminino estará em destaque no Brasil. Além de sediar a Copa do Mundo, o país terá a primeira edição do Brasileirão A1 com 20 clubes, quatro a mais do que atualmente. O anúncio da expansão do campeonato, feito em janeiro, levanta a dúvida: a infraestrutura e a qualidade técnica dos times vão acompanhar esse crescimento? Nas seis primeiras rodadas da edição em disputa, foram marcados 158 gols, média de 3,3 por partida — no Brasileiro masculino, por exemplo, a média no mesmo período é de 2,3. O número expõe o abismo entre as equipes que brigam pelo título e aquelas que lutam contra o rebaixamento: já são seis jogos, 10% do total, com vitórias por quatro ou mais gols de diferença. Mas a frequência de goleadas vem diminuindo: caiu de 22,5% em 2019 para 12,5% em […]
Related
NBA playoffs: Draymond Green mocks Rockets’ Jalen Green in confrontation after Warriors’ Game 3 win
You will not be surprised to hear the Houston Rockets have a bone or two to pick with Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green. It was true during Saturday's Game 3, and quite apparent immediately after the game.As the buzzer sounded on the Warriors' 104-93 win over the Rockets to take a 2-1 series lead, Rockets wing Jalen Green approached the elder Green at the logo, and was angry enough that teammate Fred VanVleet had to step between them.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAs the younger Green was led away, his veteran counterpart made an unmistakable gesture of painting his nails, a dig at something the Rockets star is known to enjoy doing. That didn't help Jalen cool down.Both players downplayed the incident after the game, with Jalen Green attempting to minimize Draymond's contributions during the game:"It was just talking. He can't really do much […]
Wendie Renard on her career so far: ‘It’s an adventure which starts with these players’
Wendie Renard went straight to the dressing room. She was fuming.Farid Benstiti, Lyon Feminin’s head coach at the time, had taken a then 17-year-old Renard off in the 61st minute, four minutes after the French side had conceded an equaliser in the first leg of a UEFA Women’s Cup (today’s Champions League) semi-final at home against Sweden’s Umea.AdvertisementIt was March 2008.The teenager tossed a hairdryer across the dressing-room floor and kicked a bin.“I was really angry — not with anyone else but myself,” Renard tells The Athletic. “It was unacceptable to make that kind of mistake and concede a goal in that way.”Renard had tried to protect the ball by the corner flag but Brazilian forward Marta picked her pocket. Renard then fell over and Marta cut the ball back to Madelaine Edlund, who levelled the score. Renard felt ashamed […]
Brutální noc. Čeští tvrďáci v kleci likvidovali soupeře, zápřah pro doktory
Kdo galavečer na západu Čech sledoval, zajisté se nenudil. V brutálním stylu se předvedl například věčně usměvavý Daniel Škvor. Německý rival Marc Doussis ho sice hned úvodní úderem poslal na lopatky a s českými ambicemi to vypadalo bledě, domácí čahoun ale zavelel k obratu a po rychlém ataku vytasil ukázkové K. O. Soupeř bezvládně padl k zemi a na nohy mu museli pomáhat zdravotníci. V akci byla také nosítka.„Doufám, že nemá nic s čelistí a bude v pohodě,“ přál si Škvor bezprostředně po duelu a zmínil také pasáž, jež jej málem stála triumf. „Byla to školácká chyba, ale stane se. Když jsem vstal, tak jsem cítil, že to otočím. Super výhra,“ radoval se holohlavý muž a zmínil i možnou odvetu s šampionem polotěžké váhy Willem Fleurym, který s ním loni zametl ve druhém kole na arm-triangle choke.Andrej Kalašnik a jeho KO. Maté Kertész má takovou velkou bradu, tak by to byl zločin netrefit. Video: Sport.czA co […]
Skvělý Hertl vyhlášen druhou hvězdou zápasu, dopomohl k vyrovnání série
Podrobnosti připravujeme.1. kolo play off NHL:Východní konference - 3. zápas:Florida - Tampa Bay 1:5 (stav série. 2:1)Východní konference - 4. zápas:Ottawa - Toronto 4:3 v prodl. (stav série: 1:3)Západní konference - 4. zápasy:Minnesota - Vegas 3:4 v prodl. (stav série 2:2)Colorado - Dallas 4:0 (stav série 2:2)
Steph Curry heats up with Jimmy Butler out, Warriors take 2-1 lead over Rockets
<!--> Stephen Curry eventually found his shooting groove while Houston tried everything to stop him, finishing with 36 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to lead the Golden State Warriors past the Rockets 104-93 on Saturday night without Jimmy Butler for a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.Playoff Steph delivered while Playoff Jimmy became his biggest cheerleader on the bench — in a full-length fur coat.Buddy Hield had 17 points off the bench with five 3-pointers as the Warriors won their sixth straight Game 3 in the opening round. Gary Payton II scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.ADVERTISEMENT -->Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night at Chase Center. The biggest question will be whether Butler can heal in time to contribute.The Warriors missed their do-everything forward after he suffered a pelvic injury and […]
Brasileiro feminino: Expansão do campeonato nos próximos anos pode impactar qualidade na elite
Em 2027, o futebol feminino estará em destaque no Brasil. Além de sediar a Copa do Mundo, o país terá a primeira edição do Brasileirão A1 com 20 clubes, quatro a mais do que atualmente. O anúncio da expansão do campeonato, feito em janeiro, levanta a dúvida: a infraestrutura e a qualidade técnica dos times vão acompanhar esse crescimento? Nas seis primeiras rodadas da edição em disputa, foram marcados 158 gols, média de 3,3 por partida — no Brasileiro masculino, por exemplo, a média no mesmo período é de 2,3. O número expõe o abismo entre as equipes que brigam pelo título e aquelas que lutam contra o rebaixamento: já são seis jogos, 10% do total, com vitórias por quatro ou mais gols de diferença. Mas a frequência de goleadas vem diminuindo: caiu de 22,5% em 2019 para 12,5% em […]
Be the first to leave a comment