Astros 5, Cubs 4 in 11
W: Lidge (4-2) | L: Dempster (2-6)
HRs: DeRosa (9)
Footer wraps it up
AP recap via Yahoo!
Luke Scott lined a walk-off triple to the right-center bullpen fence in the bottom of the 11th to knock the Cubs out of a first place tie and take game one of the three game set in front of the hometown crowd.
The winning run scored after Mark Lorettta walked with one out in the last frame against Cubs closer Ryan Dempster and was lifted for pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett. Scott’s gapper on a low 2-0 fastball scored Bruntlett easily and broke a five-game skid for the Good Guys.
Brandon Backe started and struggled with his command. He allowed 6 hits, 4 walks, and a bogus HBP in his five complete innings, the big blow a three-run Crawford box dinger by the Cubs DeRosa in the third inning. Backe left for a pinch hitter trailing 4-1.
A pair of huge plays helped the Astros in the comeback victory. After Backe was lifted in the fifth with a runner on and one out, pinch hitter Jason Lane lined a single to left to bring the tying run to the plate. Phenom rookie Hunter PENCE!!! slammed a two-run triple to right center to bring the Astros closer, 4-3. Then, after the Astros tied the game on a Loretta double in the sixth, the Cubs had two runners on in the 8th against Chad Qualls when Ryan Theriot lined what looked like a go ahead extra-base hit to deep left-center. Carlos Lee sprinted and make a spectacular diving grab to keep the score tied. Cubs manager Sweet Lou Pinella was not laughing after that remarkable catch.
A couple of other notes: Future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio hit his 666th double, settling into 5th place on the all-time list and the most by a right-handed hitter in history. The triple by PENCE!!! was his 51st extra-base hit, a new team rookie record.
Matt “Phat” Albers faces Rich Hill tonight.