SAN DIEGO — For Cam Smith, turning a corner at the plate isn’t about overcomplicating his approach or chasing results. It’s simply about waiting for his pitch.
Coming off a series loss to Toronto – the first since being swept by Baltimore out of the All-Star break – the AL West-leading Astros landed at Petco Park on Friday seeking a reset.
They found it off the bat of Smith, whose two-homer performance powered Houston to a 6-3 win over the Padres.
Despite Houston as a team (.703 OPS) and Smith in particular (.186 average) struggling against southpaws, the 23-year-old immediately set the tone against left-handed starter Robbie Ray. In the top of the second inning, Smith crushed a line-drive solo shot to left-center field to put Houston on the board first.
When Padres manager Craig Stammen turned to left-hander Yuki Matsui in the sixth, Smith struck again, driving another solo shot over the left-field wall to extend Houston’s lead to 5–3. He also started an eighth-inning rally with a single to score an insurance run.
“Just swinging at good pitches,” Smith said. “Honestly, I think just over time I get more comfortable, and then I start swinging at better pitches. I think sticking with a plan and approach works, as well.”
Astros manager Joe Espada praised Smith’s growth, pointing to the deliberate adjustments the young outfielder has been making behind the scenes with hitting coach Victor Rodríguez.
“He’s really locking it in. I think it’s just time; it comes with experience,” Espada said. “He’s worked really hard on some stuff with Victor, trying to get the barrel out in front, trying to pull the ball, and he’s getting results. We need some of that production down at the bottom.”
Starter Ronel Blanco navigated traffic through 4 2/3 innings before handing the ball off to the bullpen, which held the line. Reliever Bryan Abreu, who went 1 1/3 innings with two strikeouts, provided the crucial turn after inheriting two men on with two outs in the seventh. He walked Manny Machado to load the bases, then forced an inning-ending groundout to protect the lead and earn his fourth win of the season.
“We’ve just seen that for so many years,” Espada said of Abreu’s poise under pressure. “He’s where we need him to be. Just really good stuff – fastball, slider. He knows where to go with his stuff and doesn’t back down.”
With the series opener in hand, Smith emphasized the importance of carrying Friday’s execution right into the next game.
“It’s huge,” Smith said of the win. “We’re playing good baseball on both sides, and we’ve just got to ride this wave and repeat tomorrow.”
