Astros at Marlins, 8/10/09
Marlins 8, Astros 6
W: VandenHurk (2-1) L:Moehler (7-8) S: Nunez (12)
HR: Erstad (2)
I really wish I could get more worked up over this game, but when 12,000 people bother to show up to watch a team 3 1/2 games out of the division lead, then it doesn’t exactly set the mood.
Moehler got rocked for 4 runs in the first when he couldn’t find the plate with a guide dog, thus letting the miniscule air out of the balloon that might havebeen there. Erstad cut the lead in half the following inning with a 2-run dinger, and Moehler settled in with 3 straight 1-2-3 innings. A 1st and 2nd, 1 out situation in the 6th necessitated a Michaels PH for Moehler, a move that unfortunately did not pan out.
Enter Chris Sampson, who I think even neutral observers are concerned could have a Dave Dravecky-level incident on the mound if Cooper Blum doesn’t stop running him out there so often. Sampson loaded the bases with one out, and then allowed a run scoring single to CF with Bourn gunning down another victim at home. Hirstute Nick Johnson was then walked intentionally, followed by a play I can’t properly explain to you. Apparently whatever glaucoma patient MLB decided to run out last night decided that Sampson flinched before ever coming to a set position, and called a run-scoring balk.
Things just went downhill from there, and despite the best efforts of the umpiring crew to gift the run back to the Astros in the 9th with another balk, it just wasn’t enough.
Roy tries tonight to overcome his balky back, 6:05 CDT.