Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Rockies 2
Astros 3
F-11
W: Ortiz (3-2) | L: Fogg (0-1)
HR: Miggy
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Game Zone
The game was slipping away in familiar fashion. Down 2-1 in the 9th inning after fine work by Paulino and the pen kept them in it, the man who earlier drove in the lone Astros run came up with 1st and 3rd and no out. Tejada delivered again. It wasn’t hard-hit – that would come later – but his shallow fly that dropped in front of the Rockies right fielder got Pudge, the tying run, home to give the Good Guys new life.
No, he don't sell popcorn.
Cut to the bottom of the 11th. 1 out against Josh Fogg, Tejada delivered again. A lined laser into the Crawford Boxes ended the game and emptied the Astros dugout for a bouncy celebration at home plate. They should be happy. Miggy’s walk-off broke a 0-22 losing streak when trailing after 6 this season.
Tejada’s 4-6 night raised his BA from a league-leading .353 to league-leading .362 and gave the Astros a needed boost against the similarly struggling Rockies. On a night when more questionable moves by Coop could have sunk the effort, Miggy’s blast electrified the huge crowd that remained at MMP.
Paulino had one of his best outings of the season, going 6 with 7 Ks. His 2 runs were allowed in the 4th on back-to-back doubles and an RBI single. 5 relievers gave a scoreless inning each and the defense was solid, one of the stand-out plays came from new arrival Matt Kata. With the go-ahead run on 2nd in the top of the 11th, a sharp grounder by Fowler up the middle was snagged by Kata on a dive to his right, a bullet throw to Lance from his knee just got the runner to end the inning.
The 4-game series continues tonight at 7:05 with Marquis vs. Moehler.
strosrays’ epic Series Preview
Kvetch in the Talk Zone