Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez improved to 3-0 on the year with six impressive innings, allowing only a solo homer as the Astros defeated the visiting Pirates 3-2.
The game began in a strange manner as the visitors put a couple of runners on with one out in the first. Wandy made several quality pitches in the next at bat, only to be squeezed by home plate umpire Rick Reed. After Reed decided to perform a roundabout jog out near the mound and say something to Wandy, Scrap Iron burst from the dugout and let Reed know he did not appreciate the umpire’s exercise routine. Garner was then ejected, and stayed in Reed’s grill until he had his say. Wandy kept his composure and promply picked off one Wilson sister at first and then struck out the other sibling to escape unscathed.
The good guys drew first blood in the bottom half of the first. A two out walk to Lance Berkman preceeded a two run bomb by Morgan Ensberg, a team record sixth consecutive game in which he has went deep.
Wandy cruised throught the middle innings, showing precise location and good control. He allowed only a two out blast to Jason Bay in the sixth. He struck out four and allowed five hits and two walks in his six quality innings.
Jason Lane went deep in the bottom of the sixth to regain the two run lead.
Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler pitched two scoreless inning to set it up for the ninth. Closer Brad Lidge entered and got into trouble quickly, allowing a run on a pair of singles and a walk with no outs. He struck out the next hitter, took a liner off his leg that rebounded right to Berkman at first, and struck out the final hitter to escape with the save .
Craig Biggio, who had three hits in the game, singled to left field in the seventh inning to put him in 42nd place on the career hits chart, ahead of George Sisler, with 2,813 hits.
Second game of the series tomorrow @ 6:05 CST, a battle of rookies, Taylor Buchholz vs. Ian Snell.