2005 SEASON

MAY 2-4: PITTSBURGH @ HOUSTON

MONDAY, MAY 2, 2005 (Game 24) – Pittsburgh @ Houston

Houston 11, Pittsburg 4

IThe Astros continue their power surge, with another big-scoring win. Andy Pettitte pitched a shutout into the 8th inning, for his 2nd win of the season. Every starter except for Willie T and Pettitte scored at least one run. Bidge was hothothot, and Ensberg and Ausmus were pretty hot too. Three runs scored in the first inning – three more than the Astros managed to get in the whole Pittsburgh series last week!

The Astros have now won three games in a row, with a total of 27 runs. Compare that to the 14 runs that they scored in the previous six games – all of which they lost. Good Signs: Hot bats (at least at home). Recovery from the various respiratory infections that have knocked out several players. Hopes that Berkman will be back by the weekend. Maybe some May flowers, after the April showers?

The Astros wore the alternate home whites.

High points:

• Pettitte pitched a very fine game – 7 2/3 innings, 114 pitches, with 2 ER on just 4 hits, 2 BBs and 5 Ks. After 7 innings, he was sitting on an 8-0 lead. (Clemens must be going nuts – why can’t they score a few for him?) Garner left Pettitte in to pitch the 8th, although he was starting to look a bit tired by then, presumably because he had a shutout going. He got a quick 2 outs on ground balls, but then gave up a walk and a HR to lose the shutout. After the 3rd out was blown on a goofy fielding error by Biggio (dropped a pop fly), he left the game to a standing ovation – with a nice fat 6-run lead. 
  

• Bidge just got a lucky call from the first base ump on his first at bat – it was scored as a single to shallow center, but on replay it sure looked like he was thrown out at first. That was probably the start of the Pirates’ bad luck, since Biggio went on to score the first run of the game. But there was no question about his other hits – a 3-run homer in the 4th, and a RBI double in the 8th. He scored 3 times and got 4 RBI, making him a tie with Pettitte for player of the game honors. Bumped his batting average back up to .290. And, just for grins, he stole second in the 1st inning – his 400th career steal – right before Bagwell’s walk would have put him there anyway.
  

• Ensberg was 3 for 3 with 2 doubles. The first one, in the 1st inning, knocked in 2 RBI and left Pettitte ahead by 3 runs at the start of the game.
  

• Ausmus has come back a long way from his terrible no-hitting streak last month, going 2 for 4, with a 2 RBI with the bases loaded in the 4th.
  

• Bagwell didn’t have a great night at bat, but did get his 1400th career walk, and an RBI single, to continue a 7 game hitting streak. His other at-bats were fly balls to center, left, and deep right field – perhaps a hint of some more homeruns in his imminent future?
  

• First Fans George (the original) and Barbara Bush were at the game, sitting with Drayton, rooting for the Good Guys. 
  

Disappointments:

• The relief pitching wasn’t clean, but only gave up one run – nowhere near enough to threaten Pettitte’s win. Wheeler came in to relieve Pettitte with 2 outs in the 8th and gave up a 2-run HR to Jason Bay on his very first pitch. But he struck out the next batter to end the inning.
  

• I groaned when I saw Duckworth come in to pitch in the 9th, especially after he hit the first two batters. Having just seen the fiasco unfolding in Cincinnati (see Bad Guys, below), I appreciate that no lead is too large to squander, and that Ducky is just the guy to do it. I wrote “I hate Duckworth” in my notebook. Okay, hate is too strong a word, and he didn’t screw up the game. He struck out the next batter on a truly terrible pitch (it was a terrible batter), and got rid of the next two batters to end the game without causing any harm to the score. Duckworth’s lost his spot in the rotation, and possibly his place as a reliever too. In related news, Garner’s bringing up Astacio from Round Rock tomorrow for his major league debut. It won’t be rained out this time, like his planned start in last week’s fiasco in Pittsburg (just as well).
  

• Taveras never got on base, so he didn’t get to steal anything tonight. He made some nice plays in the outfield – but (happily) no opportunity for another throwout at home plate.
  

• Pirate Craig Wilson has been scalped! Last year he had long blond hair; this year he’s a buzzhead.
  

Notes on the Other Good Guys:

• The Nats beat the LA Dodgers, 6-2, with 2 runs scored in each of the last 3 innings. Guillen got his 7th HR.
  

Notes on the Other Bad Guys:

• Unfuckingbelievable. The Cards are just ridiculous. They went into the 9th inning, trailing the Reds, 9-3, poised for their 3rd loss in a row. And then with 2 outs, they managed to score 7 runs and turned it into a 10-9 win. A total CF.
  

Final123456789RHE

Pittsburgh       000000040451

Houston «       30050003x      11      121

W: A. Pettitte (2-2) L: J. Fogg (1-2)

==============================================================================

TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2005 (Game 25) – Pittsburgh @ Houston

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 4

Ezequiel Astacio got his first major league start tonight, coming up from Round Rock to try out for the #5 starter position that Duckworth has been booted out of. He pitched respectably, going 6 innings, 96 pitches, with 4 ERs on 7 hits, 1 BB, and 6 Ks. He had 4 good innings, and another one that was good except for a solo HR. And one that was pretty bad – he gave up 3 runs in the 3rd on a homer, pair of doubles, and a single. Chavez is catching for Astacio.

The Astros managed to score enough runs to keep Astacio from getting tagged with the loss; the game was tied 4-4 on his watch. Qualls pitched a perfect 7th,, taking out the side on 7 pitches. But he fell apart in the 8th, allowing 3 runs to score on 4 singles and a BB before there was even a single out. There were a number of opportunities to score again – Houston had 11 hits and stranded several runners in scoring position. But it didn’t happen for them tonight, and their winning streak stops at 3.

Astacio came to the Astros in the Billy Wagner trade, along with Duckworth and Taylor Buckholz. Being short-sighted, I was sure sorry to see them lose Wagner, but with Lidge having developed the way he has, I think that the Astros might come out ahead on the deal in time. I’m not too fond of Ducky, but Buckholz is still a future possibility, and Astacio only looked bad tonight in one inning. Well, his pitching only looked bad in one inning; he’s not the best looking guy on the team. He has a face only a mother could love. And she and his dad were in the stands tonight (unknown to Zeke, according to the announcer), looking pretty excited. The announcer claimed that he is the first player named Ezekiel to play major league baseball. That sounds suspect to me, but maybe he’s right.

As expected, Luke Scott was sent down to Round Rock to make a roster spot for Astacio. Disappointing after his amazing Spring Training performance, but he wasn’t hitting at that level in the real season, and some more time in Triple AAA won’t hurt him.

High points:

• Taveras was the perfect leadoff hitter tonight, getting on base in all 5 of his at bats, with 3 singles and 2 walks, and scoring twice. Even better, he stole second twice, putting him solidly in the lead for NL steals at 10. And he advanced from first to third on an overthrown pickoff attempt. The Houston announcers are calling him Road Runner now. Beep Beep!
  

• Biggio had another awesome night at the plate, going 3 for 4, with his 10th double, a pair of singles, and a walk. Scored once, hit in 2 RBI, and raised his batting average to .309.
  

• Lamb and Ensberg both had 2-hit games. Lamb got a double, continuing his run of extra-base hits. And Ensberg has reached base in 10 of his last 13 at bats.
  

• Another game with first-inning Astros scoring – 5 games in a row.
  

• And, dare we hope – rumor has it that Lance Berkman will be back in the game this weekend!
  

Disappointments:

• Well, it was disappointing that they lost, of course, but at least it was a close game for most of the time. One can only hope that they aren’t working themselves up for another weak game tomorrow – with Clemens trying for the 5th time for his 2nd win! He’s been sooooooo robbed so far this season.
  

• Bagwell had a poor night at bat, going 0 for 5, leaving 6 runners on base, and snapping his hitting streak at 7 games.
  

• Everett also did not get a hit tonight, going 0 for 4. That snaps a 6-game hitting streak, which was almost imperceptible, since he’d been out ill for several games in the middle.
  

• Lidge pitched the 9th, which normally would be in my High Points section. However, with the Astros 3 runs behind, it wasn’t a save situation, and Lidge wasn’t as sharp as we’ve come to expect him to be. His last couple of games have not been lights-out experiences, and coming into this one after being out with pneumonia, he didn’t seem as strong and confident as usual. No runs scored on him, but he gave up 3 singles (2 infield). His ERA is down to 0.83, which certainly doesn’t belong in the Disappointments list! Hopefully, he’ll get his next save tomorrow night, when Clemens is pitching – or maybe the Astros will score 10 runs for Clemens and make the save unnecessary?
  

• Speaking of pneumonia, Backe is the latest to succumb. He spent the night after his win Sunday in the hospital. Claims he’ll be ready to pitch on Thursday.
  

• Craig Wilson is clearly no Sampson: His sheared head didn’t stop him from causing trouble tonight, going 4 for 4 with a HR, double, and 2 singles. I liked him better with long hair.
  

• Starting Pirate pitcher Kip Wells sure seemed to be getting a lot of called strikes on inside pitches. But, hey Kip, can’t you keep your tongue in your mouth? Yuck – some people are trying to play baseball here, not make a porn flick.
  

Notes on the Other Good Guys:

• The Nats are out on the west coast playing the Dodgers, and I can’t stay up late enough to see who wins. At this moment, it’s 4-2 in the bottom of the 7th, and I’m going to bed.
  

Notes on the Other Bad Guys:

• The Cards won again, boohoo, beating the Reds 4-2. In a turnaround from last night, St. Louis went into the 9th inning ahead 4-0, and Cincinnati did a good job of trying to pull off a last-ditch comeback, scoring 2 and leaving guys in scoring position. Close, but no cigar. And nothing like the Cardinal’s ridiculous feat from last night, scoring 7 with two out in the 9th to steal the Reds sure-thing win.
  

• Milwaukee beat Chicago, 4-1, which is pretty much a wash as far as the Astros are concerned, since they’re tied – and both are ahead of the Astros.
  

• Both NY teams lost big tonight – Mets downed by the Phillies, 10-3, and the Yanks lost to Tampa Bay, 11-4.
  

Final123456789RHE

Pittsburgh       0030010307142

Houston          2010010004110

W: R. White (1-2) L: C. Qualls (1-3) S: J. Mesa (9)

==============================================================================

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2005 (Game 26) – Pittsburgh @ Houston

Pittsburgh 6, Houston 4

Roger Clemens on the mound again tonight… and once again, he pitches great and fails to get a win. Before the game, Garner had commented on Clemens: “We need to put some runs on the board for him. Heck no, let's just let him pitch another shutout and drive in a couple of runs."

The Astros scored 3 in the first 2 innings – like last night, suckering me into thinking that they were going to have a hot bat game. That was more runs than they had scored in Clemens’ last four starts combined! But they didn’t score again until the bottom of the 9th – too little, too late, guys! Clemens was very good, pitching 7 innings, giving up 2 ER on 4 hits, 5 BBs, and 8 Ks. The walks could largely be attributed to some very erratic ball/strike calls by the homeplate ump, who wasn’t even standing behind the catcher, more off to the side. But certainly it was good enough pitching to get the “quality start” label, and Clemens left the game after 7 with a 3-2 lead.

According to the stats, the Astros have just about the best bullpen in the NL, but tonight wasn’t a good example…Qualls started the 8th inning looking a lot like he did in last night’s 8th – single, single, K, BB… and Garner pulled him for Lidge.

For a few moments, I got really optimistic…

But Lidge, coming off of a bout of pneumonia, hasn’t been his usual lights-out self. Coming in with the bases loaded and one out, he gave up the lead on a sac fly, before retiring the side. But the 9th was a mess – he gave up two homers, with a hit batter in between, to allow the Pirates to take a 3-run lead. That’s the second time that Lidge was a factor in Clemens not getting a win (the other was Clemen’s third blown shutout on April 23rd, when Lidge allowed the Cards to win in the 10th.) Tonight’s mess blew away his ERA – went from well under 1 to 2.93. He did manage to strike out three batters in the 9th, but it would have been better if it had been the first three.

The Astros came back to score a run in the 9th, but they needed 3 to tie. And that was the game.

High points:

• Scoring early – sixth game in a row with first inning runs. (But they need to remember to score in the other innings too!)
  

• Biggio is still hitting hot – he was 2 for 3 with a run scored, a RBI, and a walk. Raised his batting average to .320.
  

• Everett hit well – two doubles, plus another at bat when he hit a long drive along the leftfield line, which was just barely foul.
  

• Lamb got another triple, scoring the two 1st inning runs. That ties him, at 4, for the NL lead. He has a 7 game hitting streak going.
  

• Clemens got another hit and a walk, going 1 for 1 and raising his batting average to .364.
  

• Two beautiful fielding plays: A diving grab and throw-out by Everett in the 6th, and an amazing play by Chris Burke (replacing Bidge at second base) to end the 8th inning.
  

• Faces in the crowd at Minute Maid Park: Barbara and the Original George Bush, sitting right behind home plate – you could see them on nearly every pitch. And Nolan Ryan and his wife.
  

Disappointments:

• Lidge Loses! Major disappointment. His 9th inning last night was scoreless, but he gave up 3 hits. Tonight’s was a total disaster. It could be just a holdover from the pneumonia, but he’s been not quite lights-out for a couple of weeks. He isn’t getting enough chances to pitch, which may be hurting him. He seems to thrive on throwing a lot.
  

• Taveras was caught stealing, the one time he got on base (he was 1 for 5). His hit was an infield single – his 10th; he leads the NL in infield singles, and steals too – but not tonight.
  

• Bagwell was benched, with shoulder pain. Vizcaino started at first base, and hit 2 for 4.
  

• A perplexing question: If the Astros lost 2 of 3 games, at home, to the worst team in the NL Central (after being swept by them in two shutouts in Pittsburgh), how do they expect to win on the road against the top two teams in NL East: Atlanta and Florida? Especially with a 1 and 10 road record. Something to ponder.
  

Notes on the Other Good Guys:

• The Nats are still playing in the middle of the night on the west coast. At the 7th inning stretch, the Nationals are ahead of the Dodgers, 5-1 (they scored 4 in the top of the 7th). I’m going to bed.
  

Notes on the Other Bad Guys:

• The Cards beat the Reds again, 7-3, to sweep the series. Cincinnati has really let us down. At 18-8, the Cards are 10 games over .500.
  

• Cubs vs. Brewers – who cares? They’re tied and both ahead of the Astros. But Milwaukee came out ahead tonight, 4-3.
  

• The Yankees lost to TB, 11-8. They are worse than the Astros.
  

Final123456789RHE

Pittsburgh «    000100113691

Houston          210000001490

W: S. Torres (2-1) L: B. Lidge (1-1) S: J. Mesa (10)

For The Record (Part 1)

Biggio’s only the second Astro to reach 400 steals (the first was Cesar Cedeno). Biggio is the fourth player in major league history to have 400 steals, 1,000 RBIs, 225 home runs, 1,500 runs, 1,000 walks, 2,600 hits and 500 doubles. The others are Barry Bonds, Rickey Henderson and Paul Molitor. Sounds like a future Hall of Famer to me…! If he’d played his whole career for the Yankees, with a record like that, it would be a no brainer.

For The Record (Part 2)

Bagwell’s 1400th  walk puts him in some pretty fine company too. Only 4 other players in ML history have reached 1,400 walks, 400 home runs, 2,300 hits, 1,500 runs, 1,500 RBIs, and 200 stolen bases. The others are Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Frank Robinson and Barry Bonds. More HoF fodder…

From the Sportsline.com

Rumor Mill

The Chicago Sun-Times speculates the Astros will trade Roger Clemens before the July deadline once they realize they aren't serious contenders. The newspaper says if Clemens stays healthy, the bidding war will be "obscene" with one of his former clubs, the Yankees or Boston, ultimately winning.

Fashion Statement

The Astros wore jailhouse stripes, but forgot to get the Get Out of Jail Free card tonight. Either Biggio’s jersey is a size too big, or he doesn’t button the top button; it always looks like his jersey’s falling off of him when he’s up to bat.

Fashion Statement

The Astros wore stripes. Looking more closely tonight, I determined that Biggio’s jersey isn’t just too big; he wears it with the top button undone, so his shirt gaps open when he’s batting. Between that, dirt and grass stains, and that filthy batting helmet, he kind of looks like Pigpen from Charlie Brown. In an attractive way, of course.