Gomez puts tough Astros debut behind him
Center fielder goes 0-for-5, makes costly miscue in field
HOUSTON -- Though his Astros debut didn't go as planned, Carlos Gomez remained upbeat and smiling in the clubhouse following Friday night's 6-4, 10-inning defeat against the D-backs, even taking the blame for the loss, which snapped Houston's seven-game home winning streak.
Gomez was talking about Welington Castillo's pivotal fly ball to right field in the sixth inning that he chased down, calling off right fielder Colby Rasmus. Gomez took a peek at Rasmus as he was running the ball down, though, and by the time he looked back up to the ball, he had overrun it -- a miscue, but not officially an error.
"I think he had it," said Astros manager A.J. Hinch. "The peek to see either Rasmus or the wall cost him the flight of the ball a little bit and he missed it. I think he overran it. He covered too much ground. Hustle play, but certainly one that's a play we should make."
The ball dropped just to Gomez's left, allowing Castillo to advance to second with a double and sending David Peralta -- who led the inning off with a single -- to third. Both would come around to score on consecutive RBI groundouts to cut the Astros three-run lead to 4-3.
Gomez said the misplay had little to do with his whirlwind day that saw him arrive in Houston just three hours before game time and forced him adjust to the spacious Minute Maid Park outfield on the fly.
Video: ARI@HOU: Gomez pops out to center in first Astros AB
"It's just an error. I missed it," Gomez said, then turning the conversation more lighthearted. "I had the good luck for it to happen today. [Saturday] will be a new day, we have to move forward."
Though he maintained he saw the ball well all evening, Gomez struggled to an 0-for-5 showing, including making the final out of the game on a grounder to shortstop -- the only at-bat where Gomez claimed he was fooled.
Now with a night to unwind and settle in Houston, Gomez predicted a better showing Saturday.
"It was a long day today and there was a lot going through my mind," Gomez said. "[Saturday] is a new day and I'll be there playing center again. You move forward, it's a tough loss today and I take it on me."