The Rise of Barney Rubble

Houston 6, Pittsburgh 4
WP- Fulchino (1-1), S- Hawkins (8), LP- Jackson (1-1):   Boxscore
McTaggart (Astros.com)
Game Zone 

Don’t look now, but you 2009 Houston Astros have won three straight series moving them up to, um, last in the NL Central.  “Big deal, they only beat the Pirates, D-backs and Pirates” you say?  Well, yeah, but the Pirates swept The Mole in between their two series with the Good Guys and the D-backs just completed a 4-game sweep the Co-ards, so that’s gotta count for something, eh?  (Well, no.  The wwl says the Astros suck, so it must be so.)

In any event, Sunday was a good day for the Good Guys.  Sunday was also a good day for the oft overlooked Barney Rubble (aka  ‘Q’) and Russ Ortiz.  Sunday was not a good day* for the Pirates. 

*In fact, it was a bad week for the Pirates (Mole spanking notwithstanding).  The Pirates players are not happy about the about the trade of All Star center fielder Nate McClouth to the Atlanta Braves for a Larry Wayne Jones topless photograph (autographed) and a gross of Snuggies.  “There ain’t a guy in here who ain’t [ticked] off about it” Roach #1 said. “They might be trying to hide it or whatever, but … hey…”.  Anyway, I get it that they were mad and missed their boy… but… making his replacement McCutchen paint himself in whiteface and call himself ‘Nate’?  That’s just stupid.  Even Ted Dansen thinks that is stupid. 

Alas I digress.  Oh yeah, the Rise of Barney Rubble.  In case you haven’t noticed, Q has been busting his butt behind the dish (Mike Cameron will attest to that) and is putting some nice at bats together as well.  Russ Ortiz is starting to put together some solid innings in relief also.  Which brings us to the game.

Roach #2 scored on a 1 out Jaramillo double in the top of the 2nd.  Paulino got the next guy out with his 4th K of the game but then left with a strained groin (currently listed as day-to-to).  Ortiz came on in relief, and proceeded to throw 4.1 scoreless innings giving the Pirates 1 run through 6.  The Good guys, however, faired much better against Pirates starter Snell.  Blum scored on a 2-out single by Keppinger in the 2nd, Kepp scored on a 1 out double by Q in the 5th and Pence scored on a single by Carlos in the 6th putting the Good Guys up 3-1.

Then things got a bit dicey (for the first time).  Byrdak came in for Ortiz in the top of the 7th and proceeded to load up the bases with none out.  Fulchino came in and allowed 2 runs to score (rbi groundout, single) tying the game, but with the bases loaded got Roach #1 to ground into a 3-2-3 DP to end the inning.  Kata scored on a Miggy single in the bottom of the inning to put the ‘Stros up 4-3

Sampson threw a scoreless 8th and the Astros added some insurance in the form of a 2-strike 2-out opposite field single by Q (scoring Erstad) a ground rule double by Michaels scoring Berkman.  End 8: PIT 3, HOU 6. 

Things got dicey (again) in the 9th, but Hawkins was able to close it down (after giving up a run) with the tying  run at the plate. 

BALLGAME: HOU 6, PIT 4.

Up next:

Moehler takes the hill against Lilly and the FTCs.  Read all about it from MRaup here.