Astros coaches discuss error with Paredes

PITTSBURGH -- Astros bench coach Eduardo Perez and first-base coach Dave Clark both had conversations with outfielder Jimmy Paredes on Saturday, a day after he crashed into teammate Jake Elmore and forced him to drop a ball that allowed the Pirates to score the winning run in the ninth inning.

Paredes, who was in right field, didn't see Elmore, the second baseman, waving his arms to signal he was prepared to catch the ball, at which point Paredes should have backed off. It was the second time in less than a week Paredes ran into a second baseman. He crashed into Jose Altuve on Monday in Detroit and partially dislocated Altuve's jaw.

"This is Major League Baseball and you can't have those kinds of fundamental mishaps in big league games," manager Bo Porter said. "It should not happen."

Perez said he was honest with Paredes. He told him the play in Detroit wasn't his fault because Altuve didn't hear him calling for the ball, but on Friday he should have peeled off as Elmore was raising his hands.

"He was a little confused on how he's going to look down and up at the same time," Perez said. "It's just him being a little bit raw out there, but he's got to learn from it. I tried to tell him to switch positions [Paredes used to play second base] and think about when you're a second baseman, what do you do? How do you call it? You call it by raising your hand, and you're expecting the right fielder to see you. Now you're a right fielder and you have to see him. If he's under the ball, he's getting it."

Veteran pitcher Edgar Gonzalez, who was on the mound at the time, spoke to Paredes in their native Spanish after the game and offered words of encouragement.

"He told me that happens in the game sometimes and he told me the most important thing is you and Elmore are fine," Paredes said. "There were no injuries. Nobody got hurt. In the game, that situation happens. That's what he was he was telling me. Just keep going."