Baby Bears at Astros, 8/6/07
Score: Astros 2, Cubs 1
W: Lidge (3-1) L: Wuertz (2-3)
Home runs: KABONG (24)
Read the “Not-the-Footer” here: Ben DuBose
ESPN recap: Here.
Whoever can break the Da Vinci Code surrounding Wandy’s inability to replicate his home performance on the road will not only receive a Cy Young Award, they’ll get a freaking Nobel Prize. Wandy Rodriguez was an artist on this night. The Cubs scratched just 4 hits off the man over eight innings; their lone run scored when Theriot scraped a double off the chalk in shallow RF. Move the man over, score him on a grounder, nice to see you again NL Baseball, where have you been?
Wandy’s curve was buckling knees and shaving corners. He struck out nine, many of them in key early inning situations (runners on third, <2 out). Qualls and Lidge continued the dominance, with Qualls bringing collective oohs, aahs, and comparisons to Lights Out with his slider in the ninth, striking out the side.
Cubs youngster Rich Hill was equally impressive, yielding only an opposite-field dinger to The Horse, setting the nontravelling horsestick show in motion. (Ed. note: Milo could try for the rest of his life – he could never come up with anything so annoying as “An A-Bomb! From A-Rod!” Comparisons to nuclear warfare are always nice.)
Bottom 10 – Ty, fresh off delivering another Extreme Makeover (Home Edition), works a nice 3-2 walk while defying JD’s entreaties to come up with his first Astro homer. Lane manages to get the bunt down, and Ty goes to third on a wild pitch after Bruntlett’s sinking liner to left was caught. Two down for Munson, Lamb on deck. Munson works it to 3-1, then a swing and a miss for 3-2. JD nails the fact that Munson was guessing fastball, assuming that Wuertz wouldn’t want to put him on for Lamb. Fortunately, Munson guessed correctly on 3-2, hanging a frozen rope to RF for the winner, winner, chicken dinner. Style points to Ty for heading to first to congratulate Eric immediately after touching the plate.
Good Guys take their daunting one-game winning streak to tomorrow’s action, sporting a Woody after tonight’s impressive Wandy.
Read Mike’s PBP and Coach’s Round Rock updates in the GameZone .
Discuss Dairy Queen, Whataburger, and how all other fast food bows before the steak finger: TalkZone.