Porter shuffles batting order against Twins

HOUSTON -- After first settling into a lineup that included Robbie Grossman in the leadoff position, L.J. Hoes in the second spot and Jose Altuve in the third spot, Astros manager Bo Porter slipped Hoes into the eight-hole for the second game in a row Monday.

Hoes entered Monday in a .138 slump (4-for-29), which played into Porter's decision to bat him eighth. He's hitting .351 (13-for-37) at No. 8 in the batting order this year. Altuve batted second Monday for the first time since Aug. 4. He had hit third the previous 18 games.

"He's hit a snag a little bit, and I wanted to get him out of the two-hole and get Altuve in the two-hole, and get Jason [Castro] in the three-hole," Porter said. "It was a multitude of things that went behind it. Altuve has hit second this year, he's hit third and he's hit first. Hoes has had success in the eight spot as well."

Altuve has had his most success hitting leadoff this year (.326), but Porter likes Grossman in that spot because he has a higher on-base percentage. Grossman has a .340 on-base percentage in the 33 games since he returned to the Majors on July 28.