Cardinals 1, Astros 6
W: Brian Moehler, L: Braden Looper
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Tonight was a night that started out with “What’s” and ended with “What’s.” After a 2-7 road trip you knew the Astros would try and mix things up a little bit. The announcing of the lineup was the first sign of things were not the same and change was in the air. Little did we know how much exactly.
The lineups were different starting with the Cardinals. Rick Ankiel was not playing centerfield (apparently a right-knee infection). Then the Astros annonced their lineup. No Michael Bourn, Ty Wiggington, or Miguel Tejada. Brad Ausmus the usual catcher for Brian Moehler was not given the 8 spot, which instead went to Humberto Quintero.
With the a lineup order of Hunter Pence, Kazuo Matsui, Darin Erstad, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Geoff Blum, Mark Loretta, and Humberto Quintero Cecil Cooper was definitely making changes. Tejada was getting some much needed rest after his bad road trip, I assume the same for Bourn.
The lineup did a pretty good job against the Cardinals getting 6 runs on 11 hits. The Cardinals did have 3 errors, originally, although one was changed to a hit for Qunitero.
Moehler went 7 solid innings giving up no runs with only 2 hits and 2 walks. His counterpart Looper lasted 6 innings giving up 5 runs on 8 hits with no walks. Of course, his defense did not help much tonight.
The scoring for the Astros happened in the 3rd, 4th and 8th innings. Quintero reached first on a fielder’s choice then was able to come home on Pence’s double. Pence scored on Matsui’s single, but Matsui was caught between 1st and 2nd (after Pence scored) to record the third out of the inning.
Bottom of the 4th was fun, for Astros fans at least. Erstad reached on a double, stayed there while Berkman was HBP. Lee comes up and hit a squibbler to Cesar Izturis (ss), Izturis who slipped going for the hit promptly throws the ball to second but the ball ends up rolling to the right field wall. Albert Pujols’ throw was high and the tag on Berkman was missed. Lee ended up at third. Bringing the score to 4-0. Another “What” just happened there moment.
Next up was Blum he hit a tap grounder to Pujols, who throws to home, but Yadier Molina missed the catch and Lee is safe at home and so is Blum on first. Second error of the inning. Pujols looked a bit upset at the end of this play. Might have been thinking, “What just happened?”
Loretta followed Blum’s at bat with a single, Quintero struck out, Moehler struck out, bringing Pence up to try and get a couple more runs out of the inning. Pence hits a pop up that Troy Glaus catches. Inning over Astros 5 runs scored so far on the night.
No real excitement until the 8th inning. Geoff Geary came in to relieve Moehler, Adam Kennedy leads off with a single to center, moved over to second by Aaron Miles, moved to third by Izturis and scores when Skip Schumaker singled.
Blum got the run back by a big shot off of Mitchell Boggs to bring the score to 6-1. Jose Valverde came in to seal the game with three strikes outs.
Some other “What” moments of the night:
First time all season the Astros have had Pujols go o-fer. Have the Astros ever had a game when Pujols didn’t get a hit?
Pence had a great catch on Pujols in the 6th inning.
Jose Cruz, Jr. was released. Reggie Abercrombie gets his chance to prove himself worthy of being an Astro.
Bench Tidbits:
In 1933 the first drive-in theater opened in Camden, NJ.
One in three snake bite victims is drunk. One in five is tattooed.
For some interesting reading check out the Game Zone.
For information about the MLB draft and other minor news be sure to check out the Bus Ride.
And don’t forget to listen to local SnS celebrity Andyzipp on 1560 Saturday.