France conquers first-inning jitters in brilliant start

HOUSTON -- J.P. France admits that the first inning is “usually my Kryptonite.” And before his start Sunday, the right-hander was understandably pretty nervous. Facing Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout will do that to any pitcher.

But the 28-year-old rookie almost did his best Superman impression in a heroic start, carrying a no-hitter through five innings in the Astros’ 2-1 loss to the Angels at Minute Maid Park.

“For some reason, I was super anxious before the start,” France said. “I don’t know if it was just because of the lineup the Angels have in my first time seeing them. But once I got through that first inning, everything settled down.”

He finished with the best start of his young career, allowing only one run on a Luis Rengifo homer in the sixth inning that ended his no-hit bid.

France’s slider was “the best it’s ever been,” he said. He held Ohtani and Trout to a combined 0-for-5 with one walk. And he drew praise from manager Dusty Baker for attacking early and often to draw lots of contact.

France needed only 68 pitches to get through the first six innings, retiring the first 10 batters he faced before walking Trout, who was quickly wiped out by a 6-4-3 double play. Baker showed his faith in France in the seventh inning, allowing him to clean up a two-out jam after two hard-hit singles.

“We were getting strike one. He threw quality pitches all day,” Baker said. “You hate to waste that pitching performance, but their guy was pretty good, too.”

Yainer Diaz, making his second start at first base this season in an off-day for regular José Abreu, smashed a solo homer just over the Crawford Boxes for the Astros’ only run. Diaz’s third home run of the year came just five at-bats after his second, which came as a pinch-hitter on May 31 vs. the Twins.

The start at first was a test for Diaz, a regular at catcher who has been taking more and more time practicing first base recently.

“I don’t know how comfortable he is actually [at first base],” Baker said before the game. “We’ll see today.”

Diaz passed the test and made a case for more playing time, also smacking a double to the left-field wall in the seventh. After Diaz advanced to third, a slick diving stop from Gio Urshela on Martín Maldonado’s ground ball prevented a run.

Alex Bregman totaled two of the Astros’ other three hits, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. The third baseman, rocking the beginnings of a mustache as he bats .425 since the start of his hitting streak on May 24, continued his hot hitting after a game “like a Barry Bonds day” Saturday.

France, who rocks his own excellent mustache that went viral during his Major League debut, approved of his teammate’s stache.

“If he keeps hitting, he can keep it,” France said. “It’s just one of those things, if it makes you think you can hit the ball, keep it rolling.”

France, aside from a six-run start where he suspected he was tipping pitches, is rolling in his first Major League month with a 3.48 ERA. The mustache is certainly working for him.