By Craig Elliott
Lance Berkman’s excellent three-run double Wednesday, and WillyT’s gun, gave the Astros a split in Philly. The rained-out game will be made up in the last week of the season, before the trip to Pittsburgh. The Astros are still 6.5 games behind the Jakes and have seven games left with them. In the wildcard race, the Pet Shop Boys are still on top with the Astros five games behind. Four teams are also between Houston and San Diego.
That gasping and wheezing sound you hear is the Cincinnati Reds about to fall behind the Astros. The Reds are still a half-game ahead going into the weekend series, but their tits are dragging down the stretch. A fatal stumble is imminent.
The Brewers just took two of three from the Dodgers, but before that series they had a 10-game losing streak (which included a sweep by the Astros). The Brewers are pretty much out of the playoff race now, and trying to finish 17-5 to end the season with a winning record. Good luck with that.
When:
Friday, September 8, 7:05 p.m. CDT – FSN
Saturday, September 9, 6:05 p.m. CDT – KNWS
Sunday, September 10, 1:05 p.m. CDT – FSN
MLB Extra Innings – Friday and Saturday’s games will get the sausage treatment, while Sunday’s game will be on Fox Southwest. Remember to turn your brats with tongs, not forks, or Bernie Brewer will kick you in the nuts.
Where: Miller Park
In other Wisconsin news, the Packers open at home Sunday against the Bears. The crowd may be sparse at Miller Park to see the matchup between TBA and Dave Bush.
Projected Matchups
Roy Oswalt (11-8, 3.12) v. Ben Sheets (4-6, 4.54)
Roy took a perfect game into the seventh inning against the fucking Mets, on the way to his fifth win in his last six decisions. Oswalt is 10-6 against the Brewers, and 1-0 this season. Current Brewers are 51-for-212 (.241) against Roy, with 11 walks and 42 strikeouts. Geoff Jenkins is 11-for-37 (.297) against him, with two doubles and two homers. He also has 13 strikeouts. Bill Hall is 11-for-28 (.393) against Roy, with four doubles.
Sheets is 0-2 against Houston this year, and 9-8 overall. Current Astros have a whopping 308 AB’s against him, with 80 hits for a .260 average. Berkman is 15-for-45 (.333) against Sheets with five doubles and four homers. Biggio is only 12-for-51 (.235), but he has two doubles and four homers. Everett, Ensberg, Lamb, and Huff also have homers off Sheets. Willy is 5-for-10 against him.
Roger Clemens (6-4, 2.27) v. Tomo Ohka (4-4, 4.35)
Roger is listed as probable after he tweaked the junk in his last start. He’s 19-12 against the Brewers, and 1-0 this year. He faced the Brewers last week and pitched seven shutout innings. This crop of Brewers is 39-for-180 (.217) against Roger, and Damian Miller and Corey Hart have homers off him. Geoff Jenkins and Bill Hall are a combined 2-for-25 against Clemens, but Miller is 4-for-9 and Brady Clark is 4-for-7.
Ohka is 1-3 against the Astros, with no decisions this year. He went 6+ innings against Houston last week and gave up three earned runs, including homers to Biggio and Scott. He also plunked WillyT twice in the game that broke up Willy’s hitting streak. Taveras is 4-for-13 (.308) against Ohka, while Luke Scott is 4-for-7. Brad Ausmus is 5-for-11 with two doubles.
TBA v. Dave Bush (10-10, 4.66)
The Astros haven’t announced Sunday’s starter yet. Maybe Wandy, I guess.
Bush pitched seven scoreless innings against the Astros last week and only gave up two hits. He’s 1-0 against Houston this year, with the win coming two weeks ago. Current Astros are 22-for-80 (.275) against Bush, with homers from Ensberg and Huff. Berkman is 5-for-8 against Bush, and Willy is 3-for-9.
Key injuries:
Houston – Roger Clemens is probable for this series after doing something to his groin in his last start.
Milwaukee – J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks, Corey Koskie, Matt Wise, and Vince Perkins are all out for the season. Laynce Nix is out with turf toe, and centerfielder Gabe Gross is questionable for this series.
Other shit
* That attempted flag-throwing by Nick Saban during Thursday’s Dolphins-Steelers game was about the pussiest toss ever. If you’re going to throw the flag, then heave that fucker. Or bounce it off the ref’s ass or something. But you can’t lightly drop it 10 feet behind the nearest official and hope he hears it hit the ground.