Astros at Reds, 4/24/08
Astros 5, Reds 3
W: Cassel (1-0) L: Cueto (1-2) S: Valverde (3)
HR: Berkman (6)
Jack Cassel fought his way through some early struggles, helped himself at the plate, and watched the offense come through with just enough to make the Early Bird Special another winner, winner, chicken dinner.
Pence continues to show remarkable poor timing on the bases, getting great jumps only to see the pitch fouled off, and then dragging on the actual steal attemps – result? ONly 1 of 4 on SB. Such was life in the first inning, when young spaz’s swinging bunt was eerased by the long arm of Paul Bako. Unfortnuately, this meant one less man about when Berkman homered, which was presaged as inevitable by the Reds broadcast crew and all 13 remaining REDFANS. At least Miggy was on, and so the good guys took a 2-0 lead to B1.
Cassel was overthrowing early on – pitches well into the dirt with little snap on the sinker; and when the Reds saw changeup, they punished it. This ultimately led to his giving up three runs in the first two innings, but he then settled down to retire 10 in a row. Captain Jack also helped himself with a two-out single in the second, playing Towles for the 3rd run of the day.
The Astros reclaimed the lead in the 5th with a spaz double, Erstad single and Berkman double to make it 5-3. Cueto would hang around for another 2 innings, but his damamge was done.
Cassel gave up a leadoff signle in the 6th and was promptly hooked by Coop to set up the lefty-lefty matchup against Junior. Good bullpen work was the mark of the rest of the day, as Byrdak worked two very efficient innings, and Brocail and Valverde each went 1-2-3, just as Wade had hoped.
Thus, the Astros escape their home away from home with a series sweep and take their best 3 starters on the young season into good old St. Louis, where Craig awaits them in the airport terminal to suggest some, ahem, areas to avoid.