BRAVES 6, ASTROS 3
June 11, 2011
MMPUS
Linebrink (W, 2-1) Lyon (L, 3-3)
Att – 32, 117
Time – 3:20
HOUSTON (SnS) – On a night set aside to celebrate one consistently wonderful aspect of the Houston Astros operation over the last many years, a recent ugly bugaboo popped up again in the end to doom the Astros to another disconcerting loss, following the desultory defeat on Friday night, and several other ugly and dispiriting failures from the days and weeks before that.
The consistently wonderful Astros thing being celebrated Saturday night was the TV broadcasting team of Bill “Brownie” Brown and Jim “J.D.” DeShaies, who have been nothing short of excellent over the last many seasons. An iconic twin bobblehead of the pair given away to fans was in evidence all over the stadium Saturday night. In addition, the Astros celebrated Brown’s 25 years behind the mic for the franchise. “Brownie” has endeared himself to viewers and fans over the years with his professionalism and good nature on the air and his obvious preparation beforehand, and with his signature “from-a-whisper-to-a-scream” announcing style. If you are sitting around with the TV on, half-ass watching the game and half-doing something else, the sudden rise in pitch and speed of Brown’s normally low-key, sonorous delivery is a sure indicator something important is happening or about to happen, and it is time to drop whatever you are doing and pay attention.
Amid all the good feeling and bonhomie Saturday evening, the game started off like it would be a good one. Jordan Lyles, making his third MLB start – and first start at MMPUS – pitched really well. He wasn’t dominating or anything like that. In fact, what may have been most impressive this time was his ability to repeatedly wiggle out of self-made jams. He put on the first two batters of the game and got out of it unscathed; gave up a double to lead off the second, and kept the game scoreless; got nicked for a run in the third on a Chipper Jones double; got nicked again in the fourth on an Eric Hinske solo HR; and put guys on 1st and 3rd with one out in the seventh. Manager Mills, who it seems to me has shown really good judgement on when to leave Lyles in to work out of jams, and when to get him out of there, went and got him out of there. Escalona Occidental Specialista came in and got the scary McCann to ground into an inning-ending double play.
The Astros had scored twice in the first off of Braves’ rookie starter Mike Minor before the latter settled in and shut the erratic Houston offense down the rest of the way. After Escalona O.S. closed out the 7th, Wilton Lopez and Mark Melancon held the line – the recently much-maligned bullpen did a damn good job. Up until the top of the 10th inning, that is. With the score still knotted at 2-2, once and future closer Brandon Lyon was brought in, and his line on this night was thus – single, walk, three-run HR (to McCann), double. Game gone, bullpen blows it, another loss.
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When Wandy Rodriguez returns to the staff this week, someone will have to go. It’ll probably be the option-able Lyles. Bagwell and JD explained the reasons why eloquently and clearly Saturday evening. And I get that. It is just that I had someone else in mind.
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