Astros 12, Rockies 0
W: Wandy Rodriguez (5-7) | L: Rodrigo Lopez (4-2)
Home Runs: Lance Berkman (14), Luke Scott (10)
AP Yahoo’s recap
DuBose wrap
This recap is a delayed live report from the Crawford boxes, where me and my youngest son (16) spent the afternoon sitting next to several healthy young ladies, so there might be a slight distraction factor. I did my best to visualize all the action, and I even glanced at the field occasionally. Oh, and I knew this would be a good game as soon as I walked into the park today, as I was met by TZ mainstay BudGirl, who gave me a big hug and filled me in on all the action I missed from the three games prior. They don’t make young ladies like that in my neck of the woods, those who understand & enjoy baseball on her level.
Wandy Rodriguez was dealing today. I couldn’t tell what the hell he was throwing, but he kept the ball away from the fat part of the Rockies bats, only walked a couple, and allowed a mere three hits in seven strong shutout innings. I had a good feeling after he battled the second hitter of the game, the non-zilla Matsui, as he fouled off strike after strike after strike. Finally, after a quick visit from Brad Ausmus, he struck him out on high heat. I don’t know how many pitches he threw to Matsui, but it was a bunch.
Wandy only seemed to be bothered by one hitter, Matt Holliday. He walked him in the first. Then was bailed out by his defense as Holliday lead off the 4th inning with a screaming liner to right center, but Luke Scott made a great diving catch. Holliday found the same gap again in the 6th for a two-out double, but Wandy retired the next hitter to end that threat, which was the only runner Wandy allowed to reach second base. This was an outstanding pitching performance from the young lefty.
Now, the lumber. Rocks starter Rodrigo Lopez started the third inning by walking Brad Ausmus. Next up, Wandy wanted to bunt but finally gave up and also walked. Chris Burke bunted, but it only traveled a few inches and the catcher for the Rockies pounced on it and got the force at third. Hunter Pence followed with a sharp liner up the right field line that bounced over the wall for an RBI double. Lance Berkman drew the intentional free pass to load’em up for the NL RBI leader Carlos Lee, who slammed a deep sac fly to center to make it 2-0.
The fourth inning began with a slicing liner to center by Mike Lamb for a leadoff triple. The Colorado center fielder not named Willy froze and it cost him as the ball sailed over his head. Scott picked up the ribbie with a ground out. Ausmus reached on a hard single up the middle, and was sacrificed to second by Wandy. Burke followed with another hard single up the middle to score Ausmus. Pence followed with a single (I was distracted) and Berkman drove them both in with a double to right. 6-0 Astros, and Lopez was toast.
Somewhere around this time, my youngster was trying to catch the attention of a cameraman nearby in a blatant attempt to get his mug on the popular ‘kiss cam’ and get the opportunity to lock lips with the girl sitting to his left, who he has never see before today. Nice try, son.
Former Astro lefty Tom Martin was brought in to cool things off a bit in the fifth, but he immediately plunked Lamb and surrendered a two-run jack to right field by Scott. My son was then confused why the crowd was booing Scott, but was enlightened by the girl next door that they were merely chanting ‘Luuuuuuuke’ as an endearing term. He seeked clarification from her friends. The boy is learning fast.
Martin stayed out there for the 6th, but allowed a single in the hole from Pence (who had 4 hits today), followed by a right-handed bomb from Berkman to left center. I couldn’t see where it landed, but he nailed it. 10-0. Lamb had a two-run single in the 8th to make it 12-0 as the Astros were hitting on all cylinders today.
The victory today enabled the good guys to take three out of four games from the mountains of Colorado.
Oh, and my son was shutout, too.
The Phucking Phillies in town tomorrow for a three game set.