Another solid start from Chacon and the late appearance of the AWOL Astros’ offense salvaged the third game of the series.
The Rockies hit doubles early and often. They hit one to start the 2nd, a single to medium center followed, Bourn bobbled the transfer and erased any possibility of challenging the runner at home.
Taveras doubled with one out in the 3rd and a two out single to right sent him home. Pence had time to make a throw to the plate, but he shanked a chili dipper up the line and Wily ran past it.
Meanwhile, the Rockies pitcher Jimenez, who allegedly has control issues, was throwing nothing but strikes. Fast strikes too. The Astros were barely getting the ball out of the infield.
But, suddenly, with 2 outs in the 4th, while Brown was quizzing JD on his trip to Mt. Rushmore and musing on the nature of time, the Astros started a rally. This is where Jimenez’s control issues jumped up and bit him. Berkman and Lee walked then Blum dropped a bloop RBI single to left, Pence also walked but Towles couldn’t add on as he bounced out to short.
Again in the 5th, another 2 out rally. Kazuo singled to left and stole 2nd, Tejada shoots a grounder through the left side giving Kazuo time to scamper home with the tying run. Berkman followed this with a sharp single to right and Tejada, breaking on the pitch, made it around to 3rd. Jimenez then threw one of those fastballs too far inside. It got away from his catcher and to the backstop. Tejada slid under the high throw and the Astros had the lead.
But the lead did not last. As has happened several times this season, when the Astros score a run, they immediately give up a run. Atkins homered off Chacon in the 6th. Borkowski couldn’t hold the line in the 7th, again the Rockies brought around the leadoff double.
Wesley Wright followed Borkowski with a solid 8th, setting up the second comeback of the game. Pence, dancing in the box, singled. Towles got the bunt down, playing for the tie at home, moving Pence to 2nd. Loretta walked. And with runners 1st and 2nd, Bourn tapped back to the pitcher. You could see plainly that Fuentes had the slow Loretta, the potential go ahead run, dead at second, but inexplicably, he went to first. Now, runners 2nd and 3rd; Fuentes runs a fastball in on Matsui, he ripped it foul down the 3b line. Then Fuentes nibbles away, working to a 3-2 count, he comes in again. This time Matsui timed it and ripped a 2 run line drive single to left. Tejada follows, slashing a low and away offering down the right field line and Matsui runs home with the insurance.
Valverde charges in for the 9th . He throws a 1st pitch splitter to Taveras, then a fast ball up around his head. Towles yells something at him and Valverde shakes his head vigorously, “YES!” Taveras flies out to center. More splitters to Tulowitski who grounds out to 3rd. Helton works the count 3-2 and finally Valverde misses with the split and walks him. Holliday goes to 0-2 on 94 and 96 mph fastballs then tops a splitter into the Squibbler Zone, Blum has to put it in his pocket. So now, the score is 6-4, runners 1st and 2nd, and Atkins, who had already homered way up on the façade once today, is up. 95 mph, low, 1-0, 98 at the knees, 1-1, split drifted in, 2-1, 97, foul, 96, foul, 97 foul, 96 foul, 96 foul, 97 foul, and finally 97 popped up to center.