Garcia gets the best of his boyhood idol
During the first inning of his most dominant start this season Friday, Luis Garcia fulfilled a lifelong dream. He shares a common trait with many Venezuelans around his age, a love for one of their country’s greatest players and most accomplished ambassadors.
Before the series, Garcia said he had yet to meet his hero. He came face-toface with Miguel Cabrera with a runner on second base and one out, a tense early moment in a scoreless game.
Cabrera is a god to Venezuelan baseball players. Countryman Jose Altuve called him the best player their home has ever produced. Cabrera collected his 3,000th hit earlier this season. Hank Aaron, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, Eddie Murray and Cabrera are the only seven players with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs.
Cabrera, who doubled Saturday against Framber Valdez, is one of only three players (along with Pujols and Aaron) to total 3,000 hits, 500 home runs and 600 doubles. Garcia remains in awe of Cabrera’s accomplishments, but he did not want to be responsible for adding to them. He fired a firstpitch fastball to his boyhood idol.
Cabrera grounded it to Yuli Gurriel at first base for a crucial second out. As he jogged from the field, Cabrera chopped it up with Garcia. The pitcher flashed his trademark smile.
“He thought it was a cutter,” a giddy Garcia said after the Astros’ 3-2 win. “It was a fastball (at) 96 (mph). He thought it was a cutter.”
Garcia threw Cabrera a 96.2 mph four-seam fastball. He threw only four pitches harder all night.
When he faced Cabrera for the final time to start the sixth, Garcia got ahead of him 1-2 before delivering a putaway pitch. Cabrera guessed right this time. It did not matter. He swung through an 85.3 mph cutter. Garcia got the strikeout he’d dreamed of since childhood.
Chandler Rome
Meyers takes key step in rehab
Astros outfielder Jake Meyers hit live this week at the team’s West Palm Beach facility for the first time since his offseason shoulder surgery, but is still a ways out from playing a game, manager Dusty Baker said Saturday.
Meyers began throwing and hitting in the batting cages during spring training but had not yet faced a pitcher during his rehab. The outfielder was injured during Houston’s American League Division Series win against the Chicago White Sox and underwent surgery for a torn labrum in his left shoulder last November.
Meyers, who bats right handed and throws left handed, is expected to resume hitting at full strength sooner than he can throw at full strength. He will require a minorleague rehab assignment before he returns to the Astros, though Baker on Saturday did not have a timeframe for when that might occur.
“To me, he’s a little ways off,” Baker said. “I mean, you got to go play. … So, it’s gonna take a little while.”
Danielle Lerner
Injured Jones is batting again
Astros utilityman Taylor Jones, whose season debut has been delayed by a back injury, has resumed hitting.
Jones’ injury, which the Astros have characterized only as “lower back discomfort,” first surfaced during spring training. Jones remained at the Astros’ facility in West Palm Beach after spring training concluded and flew back to Houston to see a doctor on April 17. The Astros transferred him to the 60-day injured list on April 20.
There is still no timeframe for Jones’ season debut, Baker said. In his absence, the Astros have relied on utility players Aledmys Díaz and offseason signing Niko Goodrum to provide infield depth.
Danielle Lerner
Chihuahuas blank Space Cowboys
Five El Paso pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout and Aderlin Rodriguez’s two-run shot in the sixth gave them all the support they needed in a 2-0 win over Sugar Land at Constellation Field on Saturday night.
After starter Jonathan Bermudez gave the Space Cowboys five shutout innings of his own, J.P. France (1-2) came on in the sixth and served up Rodriguez’s homer.