The Astros lose an emotional game
Through 3 the Astros danced out of trouble. Hampton was helped by a couple of double plays and a spectacular play by Bourn in the 2nd. Mike Cameron launched a high drive to center. Bourn turned and ran up the left side of the Hill and made the catch falling away to his right, his legs buckling as he hit the slope, his glove hand outstretched and he was airborne as he made the play.
The Astros were no hit into the 4th. They had something of a chance in the 2nd . Lee twice tried to deke the homeplate ump for a walk but K’d swinging. Tejada grounded to 2nd , and thought he beat the throw. Pence got a walk, stole 2nd somehow, the ball looked to beat him. Blum walked but Ivan Rodriguez popped the 1st pitch to center, slamming his bat as he ran.
So the frustration was building early.
Nothing got started until Uecker joined Brown and Deshaies in the 4th. While weaving his set gags and dropping a bombshell, production has started on Major League 4, all the while pausing every time a pitch was thrown, Ueck kept the booth in stitches as Hampton gave up a meat ball to Fielder. Cecil doesn’t miss a meatball. Hampton broke the record for most instances of muttering “fuck” after getting out of the inning allowing only the one run.
Uecker stayed for the bottom of the 4th and the laughs continued. Recounting his days on Mr Belvedere
while Berkman walked and Carlos Lee launched the first hit of the night for the Astros, a two run homer. With 2 outs Blum rolled a grounder to 2nd, and as he’s trotting to 1st, Weeks goobered the throw to Fielder and Blum is safe, through no fault of his own. Ivan Rodriguez follows with a walk and Hampton smacks a high fastball into center scoring Blum to make the score 3-1.
In the 5th, Bourn, leading off, creams a low fastball clearing the bullpen in right center. Lee comes over from the on deck circle to congratulate him. Sean Berry shakes his head and wonders how he’s going to convince Bourn to go to left now.
The 6th begins with Lee playing a Braun liner perfectly off the wall in left to hold him to a single. Fielder Ks, and Cameron walks, now Hampton is laboring with command and Rodriguez comes to the mound, then Dewey Robinson, slowing the pace considerably. On the next batter, Hampton gets his grounder. But it’s a hard bouncer that gets in on Tejada and spins him around. He has to backhand the flip to Matsui and Cameron barrels into him, aiming for the knees and sliding past the bag. Fans, this is where you should have booed. Matsui’s throw had nothing on it and they only get one out. Which is a pity because the next batter Hall homers to make the score 4-4.
In the bottom of the 7th, the Brewers send out a left handed side arming stick insect in relief. Matsui walks on 4 pitches. Bourn tries to bunt him over but the stick insect pounces and throws Matsui out at 2nd , JD opined that Matsui’s secondary lead wasn’t everything it ought to be. Berkman follows with a K looking and now the fun begins. Berkman turns on the homeplate ump and points out that the pitch was a foot outside, and it was. Lee follows this display with his own K swinging.
Now, top 8, the Astros bring in Latroy Hawkins. Fielder, the first batter, singles. During Cameron’s ab Rodriguez holds a pitch just inside a little too long for the homeplate umps liking. He says something to Pudge, Pudge says something back. Heated argument, Pudge tossed, Cooper tossed. Hawkins loses it. Cameron singles on the first pitch after the fracas, Hardy walks, Hall singles, scoring Fielder, then sac fly Kendall before Hawkins is able to get out of the inning. It’s 6-4. The Brewers at this time have 12 hits to the Astros’ 4.
Bottom 8 starts with two weak grounders. But then Blum shanks a flair to left that bounces inside the line and into the seats. Towles, in for Rodriguez and JD’s designated game hero, singles over short and Blum flies home. Erstad reaches on a 3 bouncer over the mound and Kazuo doubles into the corner in left, 2 score and the Astros lead 7-6.
Valverde, his first appearance after the heroics against the Dodgers comes on for the save. He doesn’t have the split. 97 mph fastballs is all he’s got, Hart doubles high off the wall in left, Fielder homers again and the Astros go to the bottom of the 9th down 8-7.
The first batter Berkman takes a fastball off the knee and he limps to 1st. Keppinger bunts and Berkman hobbles into 2nd. Tejada flies out, and it’s up to Pence. Pence bounces one between 3rd and short, Hall moves over, hurries the throw and buries it where Fielder can’t dig it. Berkman guts out the knee and comes around from 2nd to score. Blum works a walk and up comes JD’s hero Towles. Towles grounds to 3rd.
With 2 outs in the 10th Tejada, 0-5 on the night, had a chance with 2 outs and the bases loaded, he flied to center.
Brewers scored a run in the 11th when Geary’s control left him. Lead off double, then a single did the damage.
Bottom of the 11th, cameras focused relentlessly on the cute little girl with the inside out rally cap while Towles and Erstad strike out stranding Pence on 1st to end the game.