Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Astros 2
Braves 1
W: Valverde (4-2) | L: Soriano (1-5)
Astros.com Recap
Videos from the game
AP! Recap! On Yahoo!
GameZone
Just as the age and decline talk began, Twinkie and Tejada cued up the Hulkster’s intro music and initiated Operation Furious Clutch Comeback Montage Sequence. Feel free to leave that playing in the background.
Eny and Tommy Hanson got their horns locked in an old-fashioned NL pitchers’ duel for the bulk of this one, before The Most Interesting Pitcher in the World left to ice a tired shoulder with crisp, refreshing Dos Equis after seven strong. The Fucking Braves scratched out their lone run on three total hits, using a walk, groundout and single in the second to nick Wandy. The Good Guys eked out five hits in eight innings against Hanson – who is a fucking witch – but Wandy was the only player to get as far as third base (NTTAWWT). While there, he passed the time by winning a staring contest against a statue, and wrestling a bear with his hands cuffed to his belt.
Down 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the ‘Stros faced off against Soriano, with Kaz getting the rally started with a one-out single to right. Fat Elvis stepped in and smacked a double to left, almost before JD could wax prophetic about him hitting a walk-off jack. Close enough. Miggy followed with a bounder up the middle that caused significant tailpipe-puckering, due to its resemblance to a sure double play comebacker. Somehow, the ball managed to elude every glove in the infield by inches as it bounced its way directly over 2B and into center for the win, scoring Kaz and Berkman easily.
Big props in this one go to the gang of kids who cared enough to a) be there at all, in full team regalia no less, b) engage rally caps and c) celebrate the win like it was the NL pennant. I am inspired by their passion and utter naivety, and hereby pledge to dispense with my cynicism until at least the 3rd inning of today’s game. Thanks, gents.