2005 SEASON
MAY 23-25: HOUSTON @ CHICAGO
MONDAY, MAY 23, 2005 (Game 44) – Houston @ Chicago
Chicago 4, Houston 1
It has gotten much less stressful watching Astros games since I started accepting the fact that they will probably lose the game. It takes away a lot of the anxiety and leaves me free to just look for the isolated high points in the game, independent of the outcome. Sort of like Spring Training… So, yeah, they lost their 6th game in a row. And, yeah, they only scored one run. And, yeayeayeah, their 2 and 20 road record is the worst in the major leagues… Fine, now let’s move on… I'm just not clear on how they get from here to the Pennant?
Wandy Rodriguez pitched his major league debut tonight, in place of Andy Pettitte, who has a stiff arm. He got his first major league loss, pitching 5 2/3 innings, and giving up 4 runs (3 of them on 2 homers), on 6 hits, 1 BB, and 6 Ks. Aside from the two homers, he looked better than the score would imply. In addition to some solid pitching, he made a phenomenal fielding play – barehanding a bunt, turning, and throwing to first from his knees for the out. He also kicked off a 1-3-6-3-4 rundown in the 2nd inning, with runners on first and third. And he got on base twice – once on an error, and once on a single. So all in all, I wouldn’t mind seeing him on the mound again soon. Maybe he’ll get Astacio’s next start…?
In other news, Jeff Bagwell’s surgery has been scheduled for June 2.
High points:
- The Astros single run was on Brad Ausmus’ first home run of the year. Not bad in Chicago with the wind blowing in!
- The relievers pitched 2 1/3 innings without doing any damage tonight. Springer and Wheeler did fine. Harville gave up a hit and a couple of walks, but for the second game in a row, Franco came in with trouble on base and induced an out.
- Having put the first batter on with a walk, Harville did a good job with his second batter, with more than a little help from Brad Ausmus: After 7 pickoff attempts and a pitchout, the runner took off, and was caught stealing. Then Harville struck out the 2nd batter. (Unfortunately he gave up a walk and a double to the next two…)
Disappointments:
- Well, the Good Guys lost… the rest is commentary.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- Washington lost, 5-3, unfortunately to the Reds. That leaves the Astros all by themselves in the NL Central dungeon.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- Cards beat Pirates, Brewers beat the Rockies.
- Florida won tonight, giving Dontrelle Willis his 8th win. But he gave up 2 runs, raising his ERA to 1.55; Clemens is still in first place in the ERA department. He won’t have any serious win count this year unless the Astros figure out how to score some runs though.
W: G. Rusch (3-1) L: W. Rodriguez (0-1) S: R. Dempster (3)
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TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2005 (Game 45) – Houston @ Chicago
Chicago 4, Houston 2
Man, am I a sucker. They really got me going this time: I actually believed that the Astros were going to win last night. Ahead 2-0 in the 8th, after another shutout performance by Clemens, their lead was perilous, but sooooo close, I couldn’t resist the temptation to hope. Then Qualls gives up a couple of hits, it’s 2-1, with one out and the tying run on first… and they bring in Lidge. I’m thinking: Five strikeouts. I’m thinking: My Hero will save them. I’m thinking: There’s still Hope: The Good Guys can still win it.
And then Lidge blew Clemen’s chance for a win. It was really ugly: His slider was out of control, in the dirt, all over the place, everywhere -- except near the plate. A couple of walks, a couple of wild pitches, with only Ausmus’ willingness to be a human target keeping more from going astray. And one lousy single that scored two runners who shouldn’t even have been on base, let alone in scoring position. He gave up 3 runs (2 credited to him) to get the BS, as well as the game loss.
Sucker punch!
High points:
- Clemens pitched beautifully again. Another game that should have been a win for him: No runs on 5 scattered hits, no walks, and 6 strikeouts. He extended his consecutive scoreless innings on the road to 26. Clemens clearly has no part to play in the Astros recent road disasters. The man has such unbelievable presence on the mound. I am almost beginning to sympathize with the idea of trading him to a team that’s a real contender, so that he doesn’t waste what might be his last season pitching great – and racking up a crappy record. His ERA at the end of his game last night leads the Major leagues: 1.19. Maybe, if nothing else, he’ll break Bob Gibson’s 1.12 ERA record? Or get his elusive no-hitter? (But to ensure that the Astros win his no-hitter, it will need to be a perfect game, and he’ll probably need to get a couple of hits too.)
Disappointments:
- Clemens left the game after 5 innings, with a groin injury. No update yet on whether it will affect his ability to pitch his next scheduled start on Monday.
- OH BRAD! I almost expect the others to fall apart and give away Clemens’ precious win opportunities, but not YOU! This was the second time Lidge blew a Clemens’ lead – he blew a save on May 4 against Pittsburgh. And he lost a game for Clemens in a non-save situation, when he allowed Qualls’ runner to score in a 10-inning 0-0 pitchers duel against the Cards on April 23. Robbing Clemens seems to be an equal opportunity endeavor for the Astros bullpen.
- The Astros only scored two runs (which is good compared to 1 or 0, in other recent games) – and both were on junky hitting – ground balls that resulted in outs, but the runners on third scored anyway. The Astros are now the worst team in the NL in all serious offensive categories – batting average, runs, hits, RBIs.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- Washington lost to Cincinnati, 4-3.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- Cards eeked out a win over Pittsburgh, 2-1, in 12 innings.
- Brewers beat Colorado, 6-1.
W: M. Wuertz (3-2) L: B. Lidge (1-2) S: R. Dempster (4)
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2005 (Game 46) – Houston @ Chicago
Houston 5, Chicago 1
I swore I would not be suckered this time. So when I had to leave to substitute at the mikvah in the top of the 8th, with the Astros ahead 4-1, I wrote in my notebook: “I will not be suckered into hoping.” Every word underlined, and a box around the sentence. For two hours, I handed out towels and bathrobes, ensured that no one drowned, said “kosher” at the appropriate moments – and wondered what creative means the Astros would use tonight to blow another road game. But I came home and – wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles – the Astros won. The win snapped a seven-game losing streak, and improved their road record to … well, 3 and 22. Well hey, 3 wins is 50% better than 2 wins.
I watched the last half-inning of this momentous occasion on the mlb.tv archive, just to see the Good Guys smile when they made the last out (a fly ball caught by Todd Self). Taveras actually skipped onto the field to high-five his buds.
Backe had another excellent start, giving up only 1 run in 7 innings and just 81 pitches, on 7 hits, 1 BB, and 2 Ks. The kid also scored the first run of the game in the 3rd inning, after getting a hit, stealing second (his first career SB), and then scoring on Palmeiro’s top-of-the-lineup single. And he executed a sac bunt in the 8th, to move Ausmus into scoring position – and he did score. Gotta love a pitcher who knows how to help himself. Not bad for a guy who had a root canal the day before.” I don't care about my root canal,” Backe claimed. ”There are two different kinds of pain. I don't love my tooth as much as I love baseball."”
The Astros scored again in the 5th on Ensberg’s homer (#9). They got three more runs in the 8th in a reverse of Chicago’s 8th inning last night – a couple of wild pitches, a stolen base, a hit or two. Cheap thrills – but all insurance runs, since Backe and the relievers kept the Cubbies at 1 run. This was the first 3-run inning (and the first game with more than 3 runs!) since a week ago, May 18th against the Diamondbacks. (But the Astros lost that game.)
The Astros wore road greys, with long sleeves, due to the chilly night air in Chicago. This was the first time in Wrigley Field history that the Cubs have played a three-game series of all night games.
High points:
- The relievers acquitted themselves well. Backe pitched to one batter in the 8th, giving up a single, before being relieved by Wheeler. Wheeler took out one with a K, and two more on a double play to end the 8th. Lidge came in for the 9th, in a non-save situation, and looked much more like his usual self than he did last night – took out the Cubbies one-two-three on two grounders and a flyball. No Ks tonight – but also no wild pitches, walks, or RBI hits!
- Todd Self continues to do well, starting for his 4th consecutive game in right field and batting second, with a .316 batting average. Tonight he was 1 for 4 with a RBI single in the 8th, scoring on Berkman’s hit.
- Berkman was 2 for 4, with an RBI, in his first multi-hit game of the season. This puts his batting average up to .200, the first time he’s gotten into the 2’s after a very weak offensive start. Hey, Lance, Spring Season’s over. This is more like it.
- Taveras, running for Berkman in the 8th inning, stole second, a NL-leading 16th SB.
- Garner continues to shuffle the lineup, looking for a combination that will win. I expect to see tonight’s lineup repeated in the next game – don’t argue with success. The only “regulars” are Biggio, Berkman, Ensberg, and Everett – everyone else seems to float in and out of the lineup. Taveras replaced by Palmeiro, leading off tonight, Self playing right field in place of Lane. Lamb sometimes (but hitting horribly). Vizcaino filling in wherever he’s needed.
Disappointments:
- The HR was great, but Ensberg struck out looking twice tonight. Seems to be the Morgan special.
- In bad news, Clemens is still experiencing right groin pain. He hopes to take his regular start on Monday, but no one is really sure yet. Also, Biggio came out of the game yesterday with a hamstring pull. Although he started tonight, he was replaced running in the 8th; no indication that it was injury-related. Maybe Garner just wanted to rest him.
Notes on the Other Good Guys:
- Washington got creamed by the Reds, 12-3.
Notes on the Other Bad Guys:
- And in other big-scoring games by NL Central teams… The Cards took down the Pirates, 11-5. And Milwaukee beat Colorado, 11-1.
W: B. Backe (4-3) L: G. Maddux (2-3)
