Wash, rinse, repeat. The Astros have now played 24 innings without scoring a run. They’ve lost their last two games against the Royals by the same score: 2-0. These two consecutive shutouts mark the 50th time in franchise history that Houston has been shut out for at least two straight games. That doesn’t seem optimal.

Odds are that the Astros won’t be shut out for a third time in a row on Sunday. The last time this occurred was during the 1985 season. Never say never, though. As long as certain hitters fail to produce in key moments, this lineup will not score many runs. This game against Kansas City proved that point quite well.

• 2nd inning: Christian Walker hits a one-out double, Yainer Díaz and Zach Dezenzo pop out
• 3rd inning: Mauricio Dubón singles and Jose Altuve draws a walk with one out, Yordan Alvarez and Isaac Paredes line out
• 6th inning: Paredes singles and Jeremy Peña walks with one out, Walker strikes out swinging and Díaz grounds out
• 8th inning: Paredes doubles and Peña singles with two outs, Walker strikes out swinging…again

Entering Saturday’s game, Alvarez, Walker, and Díaz are hitting a combined .193/.272/.313, with six home runs and a 68 wRC+ on the season. The results from Saturday won’t improve those numbers. That trio, though, represents some of the best hitters the Astros have to offer, yet the early results this season have been disappointing. It is only late April, and I expect all three to rebound, sooner or later. But it doesn’t make the present any less frustrating. Until some combination of those three hitters starts producing, it’ll be hard for this lineup to score consistently.

On the flip side, Framber Valdez avoided early trouble in the first inning, limiting the damage to just one run. Aside from that early turbulence and a Vinnie Pasquantino solo home run in the fifth inning, Valdez pitched quite well. He struck out five in eight innings, allowing two runs and two walks. Considering how the game unfolded, Joe Espada didn’t need to resort to his bullpen. Valdez had only 11 whiffs on 46 swings, but it was a good night on the mound for him. Unfortunately, he wasn’t perfect, so a loss was inevitable due to this lineup’s failure to produce the “big” hit.

Again, it’s only April, although it is late in the month. The lineup should improve in the coming weeks. However, that improvement depends on someone unexpected going on a tear or on a few other hitters finally performing closer to their career norms. On the plus side, the pitching staff continues to look solid and will keep this team in games more than originally anticipated at this rate. Let’s hope they avoid another shutout on Sunday. I mean, Hunter Brown is pretty good at pitching, but even he isn’t perfect.

BOX SCORE HERE