Andrelton Simmons used a great deke and some great throws to fool the Astros out of an inning
By
Michael Clair
You simply can't look away from Andrelton Simmons when he's on the field. Diving plays, bobbled catches and even the way he positions himself deserves careful study. He showed off some more of his skills during Sunday's 7-5 victory against the Astros. In the bottom of the first inning, Carlos Correa hit a ball to right field that allowed José Altuve to move up to third base. As the throw came in, Simmons casually leaned back as if he was going to let the throw go to third. That momentary hesitation made Correa think he could take off for second. Only problem? Simmons was simply laying in wait. He grabbed the ball and threw to first. With Correa in a rundown, Simmons ran over and collected the the throw from first baseman C.J. Cron. He then fired to home plate to prevent Altuve from scoring. Once the tag was applied, the inning was over:
Even though Simmons was never the focal point of the play, one deke, one cutoff, and two throws later, he had tricked the Astros out of an inning. Just remember: Don't take your eyes off Simmons.