Despite Shepard getting the short end of a 3-2 stick on Thursday at Tinley Park, Matt Hoge was showing how valuable he is to the Astros. He had a few leaping and diving catches at shortstop to keep his team in a game that was tight until Tinley staged a rally in the seventh.

On the day, Hoge was 1-for-3 at the plate, and he had five infield assists. He turned a nifty 6-3 double play, catching a ball on a funny hop, stepping on second and throwing to first.

In recognition of his performance, Hoge has been named Patch’s Athlete of the Week.

Last year, Hoge was in a very different role, playing center field for the Astros.

"I'm adjusting to it, but I like playing the infield better," he said.

Hoge, who is the leadoff hitter for coach Frank DiFoggio's Astros, wants to attend Arizona State and hopes to become a sports agent.