Slow and steady can’t win this one

Weaver’s deception fools Astros for only so long, and Castro’s homer beats him.

Weaver’s soft offerings fool Astros for a while, until they don’t.

Like many hitters of his generation, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa alters his pregame routine to prepare for the powerful young arms that populate the game. To simulate high speeds, Correa often takes batting practice in the cage from up close, at 50 feet. He did not Saturday. On the mound for the Angels was Jered Weaver.

Weaver, diminished by nagging injuries and nagged by a diminished fastball, has instead relied on deception and smarts. It is thin line to walk. His fastball, which hovers around 83 mph, makes dominating nearly impossible and leaves little room for error. But he has also become a routine-obliterator, an asterisk on opposing schedules.

The Astros, for example, had to decide how best to simulate Weaver’s tricky offerings. Manager A.J. Hinch had to bench left fielder Colby Rasmus, who actually struggles against slower pitches. And for a while, the Astros were fooled.

But Weaver’s mistake pitches are punished with regularity. In the sixth inning, his mistake pitch was an 82-mph sinker on a 1-2 count. Jason Castro timed it, and blasted it over rightcenter-field wall.

It was the difference in a 4-2 Angels loss, their third defeat in four games.

Saturday’s game offered a matchup of decorated pitchers who have encountered tough times. Before the game Angels Manager Mike Scioscia sat in the home dugout, as he has for 17 seasons. He is the longest tenured manager in the majors, and he has seen many players come and go.

“What any player in this game has done a month ago or a year ago evaporates very quickly,” he said.

Saturday’s lineup cards offered proof. Starting opposite Weaver: Dallas Keuchel, last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner, now grinding through a season even worse than Weaver’s.

Each has been reminded of how quickly fortunes can change on the mound. And each is looking to resurrect, or salvage, his season.

Weaver yielded first, on a run-scoring groundout by Correa in the first inning.

The Angels countered with back-to-back home runs from Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. It was Trout’s 150th career home run. He is 24 years old.

After that inning, Keuchel settled down. The Angels managed only one more baserunner against him.

The Astros tied the score in the fifth inning, on Jose Altuve’s sacrifice fly, before Castro shattered the stalemate.

For Keuchel, who has endured what Hinch described as a “roller-coaster” year, it was his best start since April 15. His return to form could jolt the Astros from their malaise. Currently, they’re tied for last in the American League West with the Oakland Athletics.

Keuchel, who went seven innings, outdueled Weaver (4-4), who lasted six innings, allowing six hits, four walks and a hit batter. Keuchel allowed only three hits and walked none in improving to 3-6 with a 5.58 ERA. .

The game illustrated Weaver’s challenge: To win with his stuff, his pitch selection and command must be near perfect.

“He thrives on teasing you with different velocities and slower-than-slow breaking balls and an occasional changeup,” Hinch said. “It’s a cat-and-mouse game.”

It was a game the Astros won Saturday.