2005 SEASON
JULY 28-31: NEW YORK @ HOUSTON
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2005 (Game 102) – NY METS @ HOUSTON
Houston 3, New York 2
The last time the Astros faced Pedro Martinez, back on June 7, he pitched a two-hitter, with a no-hitter going up until the seventh inning -- when Chris Burke spoiled it with his first major league home run. Martinez came into tonight’s game with a 2.79 ERA and a 12-3 win record.
Ezeqiel Astacio, called up from Triple A Round Rock to fill in for the injured Brandon Backe, entered the game with an ERA of 8.24, with a 1-4 record. His last start was a good one, earning his first major league win. He was sent back down to the minors immediately following the game (the first game of a double header), to make room on the roster for another minor leaguer, Wandy Rodriguez.
No one would have predicted a pitchers’ duel, with such an uneven mix, but that’s what they got tonight. Martinez pitched as expected: 8 innings, 2 ER on 4 hits, 3 BBs, and 8 Ks. But Astacio matched him for the first 6 innings, with 1 ER on 4 hits, 3 BBs, and 5Ks. His only run scored in the first inning, after a combination of a single, a walk, and an error (Lamb) loaded the bases with no outs. A sac fly scored the runner from third, but Astacio managed to get out of the inning without any further damage. He pitched a strong game for the next 5 innings.
It would have been nice if Biggio, Berkman, and Ensberg could have beat up Martinez, but they were all hitless. The real heroes of the game were two of my favorites from the bottom of the lineup: Adam Everett and Brad Ausmus. Everett hit a solo homer in the 5th to tie up the game. The Astros briefly lost the lead on a solo home run in the top of the 7th (Qualls). But in the bottom of the inning, Lamb walked. Bruntlett came in to pinch run, and promptly stole second. Everett’s single put Bruntlett on third. Then Ausmus came to the plate, and for the second game in a row, he put down a successful suicide squeeze bunt to score the run. That tied the game, 2-2, where it stayed until the bottom of the ninth.
With Martinez finally gone, the Astros tried out their late inning magic against the relief pitcher, Roberto Hernandez, who had never given up a run to the Astros. Palmeiro singled and Everett sacrificed him to second. Then Ausmus smacked a double into center field. The game ended with Palmeiro crossing home as Carlos Betran chased after the ball, knowing the game was lost. Hah!
Now guess who’s tied for the NL Wild Card lead???
High points:
- I was prepared for the Astros to lose this one, with Astacio coming in against Pedro. But he pitched a great game. Unlike his last start, when he was just called up from Round Rock to pitch the first game of a double header, Astacio will actually need to stick around for a few weeks this time, until Backe is better. This was the 18th game in a row that the Astros starting pitcher went at least 6 innings.
- Relief pitching was great, with the exception of Qualls giving up a solo homer to lead off the 7th. But after that, Qualls finished the inning without any other runs. Then Gallo came in to strike out a lefty in the 8th, and Wheeler finished off the 8th and pitched a scoreless 9th, to earn the win. Gallo has been used successfully as a lefty specialist for several recent games (not a role he’s been effective at in the past). Wheeler continues to be an effective setup man, able to go two or three innings if needed. The tremendous effort by the relief team – and they do seem to be a real team – has been a huge factor in the Astros’ ability to turn themselves into a team that can win one-run games.
- This was the Palmeiro-Lamb version of the lineup. Garner has been using Palmeiro and Lamb, instead of Burke and Lane, in a number of recent games. He seems to be trying to leverage his veteran players, while still giving the rookies some experience at the end of the season. At this point, the only thing that matters is winning and making the playoffs.
- Taveras was only 1 for 4, but the one hit was another bunt single (his 51st infield hit of the season, setting a new Astros record). He promptly stole second for his 25th SB.
- Biggio got on base in the 8th, due to a freak error (the outfielder caught his fly, and then nonchalantly dropped it). Then he stole second, for his 11th SB of the year. Bruntlett also got a stolen base. Piazza does not seem to be able to throw out a fast runner. Too bad Clemens isn’t pitching in this series – it might have been the opportunity for him to get that stolen base he claims to want. Meanwhile, Houston’s 3 stolen bases puts the team at a NL-leading 84.
- Beltran didn’t get a hit. I had kind of lofty thoughts this afternoon, thinking that it would be classier if the crowd gave Beltran a standing ovation at his first at-bat. He seemed to have friendly exchanges with the Astros players during batting practice. But when the time came, I wasn’t really sorry to hear them boo him. They booed him when he came up to bat. They booed him when he made a play in center field. They’ll probably boo him through the whole series. And they’ll cheer all the more for Taveras.
- Bagwell was there to cheer for his good friend Ausmus. His rehab seems to be on schedule. Today he threw for the first time since the surgery; next week he’s expected to start doing some batting practice.
Disappointments:
- No hits from Biggio, Berkman, and Ensberg tonight.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- In an early afternoon game, the Nationals lost yet another one-run game, 4-3, to Atlanta. With this loss, the Nats dipped to 3 games behind the Braves in the NL East, and are tied with the Astros to lead the Wild Card race. (Alyson, I toldja so…)
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- The very annoying Cards beat the Padres, 11-3, notching another win for Chris Carpenter (leading the NL with #15).
- The Cubs lost to the Diamondbacks, 6-0.
- The Reds beat the LA Dodgers, 6-1.
- The Marlins beat the Pirates, 3-0, with Dontrelle on the mound.
- The Brewers lost to SF, 3-0.
- In a late night game, the Phillies got their pride back by beating Colorado, 8-5.
Final123456789RHENew York 100000100271Houston 000010101361W: D. Wheeler (1-2) L: R. Hernandez (5-4) ==============================================================================
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2005 (Game 103) – NY METS @ HOUSTON
Houston 5, New York 2
So my only disappointment in Thursday night’s game was the lack of any hits by the Triumphant Trio – Biggio, Berkman, and Ensberg. In Friday night’s game, they were all redeemed – their three homers were responsible for all of the runs scored in the game. Biggio’s first pitch solo home run (#17) in the first inning was a hard liner straight into the Crawford boxes. Berkman connected in the 3rd, for his 12th HR, with Taveras on third base. And Ensberg’s sixth inning homer, with Berkman on first, was his 27th of the year, bumping his RBI count to 76.
The five runs scored on these home runs, along with another good start from Wandy Rodriguez, were more than enough to give Houston another win, putting the Astros in sole possession of the NL Wild Card leadership. Wandy got his 6th win, after pitching five very solid innings, before getting into trouble in the sixth. He threw 93 pitches in 6 innings, giving up 2 ERs on 4 hits, 2 BBs, and 3 Ks. For the second week in a row, Astacio and Rodriguez have come through for the Astros with solid starting pitching. Everyone expects great stuff from Clemens, Oswalt, and Pettitte, but the rookies are stepping up in a big way.
The Astros wore home stripes.
I watched this Friday night game after Shabbat, after the end of the Saturday night game. During Shabbat, I read Jonathan Eig’s new biography of Lou Gehrig, Luckiest Man. What a heartbreaking story! Of course, I knew that Gehrig had died of ALS, but I hadn’t realized that he had gotten sick right at the height of his career. Reading the book, Gehrig reminded me so much of Jeff Bagwell – burly first baseman, slugger, a nice guy, who played his whole career for one team as a great star and team leader. Then at about the same age as Bagwell, he suddenly lost his ability to play – and not too long afterwards, he lost his life to the disease that now bears his name. Bagwell’s shoulder injury may end his career, but at least it’s not life-threatening.
High points:
- Taveras got two singles, and stole second both times, bumping up his SB count to 27.
- Everett also got a stolen base, his 15th of the season. The Astros have turned into a real running team, leading the NL in stolen bases this season (87). And it doesn’t hurt that Piazza doesn’t seem to be able to throw out a runner. His record is terrible!
- Excellent relief pitching -- again. Qualls pitched two scoreless innings in the 7th and 8th, giving up only 1 hit. Then Lidge came in to close in a perfect ninth, striking out 2. In the past week, the Astros team ERA is only 1.75. They haven’t scored a ton of runs, but the pitching has been amazing.
Disappointments:
- Six in a row! Twelve of the last thirteen!! Beat the F-ing Mets!!! How good is that? The only possible disappointment in a game like this one is that I had to wait until the next day to see it happen!
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- The Nats lost another one-run game, 4-3, to Florida. It was Washington’s 10th consecutive loss in one-run games, after winning most of them in the first half of the season. This loss gave Houston sole ownership of the NL Wild Card lead.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- WOO HOO! The LA Dodgers took down the Very Annoying Cardinals, 7-5. The Astros are now 8½ games behind St. Louis. That may sound like a lot, but it’s a lot less than 15. Little by little…
- The Cubs beat Diamondbacks, 4-3. The Cubs are several games behind the Astros, but are always a worry, especially with a lot of games still to go against each other at the end of the season.
- The Reds beat the Padres, 8-3. San Diego, miraculously, still leads the NL West, despite losing 9 out of 10 of their last games, and carrying a losing record for the season. Meanwhile, every team in the NL East is over .500 – so lopsided!
- The Brewers lost to SF, 7-6.
- The Marlins beat the Pirates, 2-1.
- The Phillies beat Colorado again, 5-3. Getting back their self-esteem after being trashed by the Astros.
Final123456789RHEN.Y. Mets 000002000250Houston « 10200200x581W: W. Rodriguez (6-4) L: K. Benson (7-4) S: B. Lidge (25) ==============================================================================
SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2005 (Game 104) – NY METS @ HOUSTON
Houston 2, New York 0
Andy Pettitte just gets stronger and stronger. He won his 9th game of the season tonight, pitching 8 shutout innings, allowing only 5 Mets baserunners (3 singles and 2 BBs), and striking out 6. It was the 8th straight start in which Pettitte gave up 2 or fewer runs.
It was a classic pitchers’ duel – two great lefties facing off. The Astros didn’t have a big night at the plate against Tom Glavine, who took a shutout of his own into the 7th inning. But in the 7th, Jason Lane homered to give the Astros a one-run lead. Houston managed to get an insurance run in the 8th – just when I turned on the computer after Shabbat. But they didn’t end up needing it, as Pettitte kept pitching great through the eighth, and Lidge came in for the save in the ninth.
The Astros continue to dominate in what must be their best month of July ever. With one more July game tomorrow, Houston has won 25 of its last 30 games.
The Astros wore home whites.
High points:
- Jason Lane got his 16th home run of the year to get the Astros on the board.
- Palmeiro led off the 8th with a single. Bruntlett came in to run for him, and got to third on an error with Taveras hitting. Taveras was safe at first. Berkman walked to load the bases. Then Ensberg got a big hit, to score the insurance run.
- Burke made an amazing backhanded sliding catch in left field in the 6th inning.
- Beltran continues to be booed by the Houston standing-room only crowds. He was 0 for 3 tonight, and only 1 for 10 so far for the series.
Disappointments:
- None.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- The Nats continue their pathetic slide, losing in a 3-0 shutout to the Marlins. After being shut down by Atlanta, they’ve moved on now to their other NL East rivals to continue the punishment. They’ve lost 9 out of their last 10 games, and Houston is now 2 games ahead of them in the NL Wild Card race.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- The Cardinals beat the LA Dodgers 9-4. I knew it was too good to last…
- The Diamondbacks beat the Cubs, 3-2.
- The Reds beat the Padres, 9-1.
- The Brewers beat SF, 7-1.
- Atlanta beat the Pirates, 9-6.
- The Phillies beat Colorado again, 8-7. After Houston swept the Phillies, they are aiming to do the same to the poor Rockies – the worst team in the majors.
Final123456789RHEN.Y. Mets 000000000031Houston « 00000011x271W: A. Pettitte (9-7) L: T. Glavine (7-9) S: B. Lidge (26) ==============================================================================
SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2005 (Game 105) – NY METS @ HOUSTON
New York 9, Houston 3
Okay, I didn’t actually think that the Astros were going to win every game that’s left in the season. But this isn’t the one I thought they’d lose. I was prepared to concede a game when Astacio came up to fill in for Backe, and when Wandy took the mound on Thursday – and then they won both games. But with Oswalt on the mound today, a win was much more likely.
Oswalt didn’t have his usual laser-sharp game. He gave up 3 ERs in 6 innings – the most runs he’d given up in a home game since Opening Day – on 9 hits, 1 BB, and only 3 Ks. He came out of the game with the score tied, and then Houston scored in the bottom of the 6th, to make it 4-3, keeping Oswalt’s chances for his 15th win alive.
But then it all fell apart. Unlike most of the recent Astros games, every relief pitcher Garner brought in had problems, and allowed the Mets to score in the 7th (1 run), 8th (1), and 9th (4!). Even Wheeler pitched poorly; he only gave up 1 ER, but it was the one that allowed the Mets to go ahead. The real goats were Springer and Harville – they combined to give up 4 runs in the 9th inning. But all that was gratuitous fun for the F-ing Mets, to get back some of their lost pride and position in the Wild Card race. The game was already lost in the 7th.
The Astros wore Sunday home reds. Tomorrow they have a day off before heading out West for a road trip.
High points:
- Garner played a new alternative lineup today, giving Taveras a rest, and starting Bruntlett in center field. Biggio led off – kind of nostalgic.
- Bruntlett had a great day, for the second Sunday in a row. Last week he hit in the winning home run in the 14th inning. This week he hit a home run in his first at-bat, and had RBI hits in two other at bats.
- The trade deadline went by without any big announcements. I’m glad Houston didn’t make a big trade; there’s no one on the team right now I’d like to lose.
Disappointments:
- Oswalt didn’t get his 15th win to catch up with Chris Carpenter. I’m watching these two as the duel for the Cy Young. It was Oswalt’s first no-decision start of the year.
- Beltran had a good game: He went 3 for 4, scored, had a RBI and a stolen base. I was hoping that he’d leave town without any success. Of course, all of the Mets had a good game – everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit, except Ishii, the pitcher.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- The Nationals finally won a game, 4-2, over the Marlins. They are now one game behind Houston in the Wild Card race.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- The Cardinals beat the LA Dodgers, 7-5, in 11 innings, in a game with 19 BBs.
- The Diamondbacks clobbered the Cubs, 13-6.
- The Reds wiped out the Padres, 7-1, causing San Diego to finally lose its precarious NL West lead. The NL West is literally a bunch of losers – not one winning record!
- The Brewers beat SF, 5-1.
- Atlanta beat the Pirates again, 5-4.
- The Phillies lost to the Rockies, 9-2.
Final123456789RHEN.Y. Mets « 0002101149170Houston 1011010004100W: A. Heilman (4-3) L: D. Wheeler (1-3) 
