Houston Astros at San Diego Padres

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.”