Astros Scorched, 4-1
W: Hanson (8-4)
L: Myers (2-6)
Myers was pretty good Sunday afternoon. He pitched well, only gave up five hits in seven innings and struck out six. His real mistake, other than the two pitches he threw that resulted in all the runs those cocksuckers from Atlanta would need, was showing up with a knife at a gunfight. A floppy rubber knife, in the form of Astro bats.
Tommy Hanson waded through the Astro lineup – missing Keppinger, Pence, Towles and Boojwah – like General Sherman, torching everything in sight for the shock and perverse sport of it. In the end, Hanson had struck out 14 in seven innings; three more Astros fanned after that to make it 17 for the game. Only five hits were allowed and Houston was never in this one, despite the low score.
A combined feeble-for-eleventy-nine with runners in scoring position since the middle of last week has taken the shine off of that four game win streak like flame burns away the sweet smell of redemption. This team is in its Death March and has many, many miles to go before it ends. Summer is upon us, and with it the heat will render casual hope and observance until it resembles some kind of psychotic fascination, leaving those of us who dare to be strong enough for the ride reduced to sweaty, gibbering imbeciles by September.
In the wake of this devastation comes the unexpected flower that can hopefully provide a tiny respite; Lyles is staying in the rotation, AnRod goes to the bullpen and Fulchino goes to Tornado Alley. Never the rose without the thorn however, because Boojwah will have an MRI Monday to determine why his right ankle won’t heal.
“It’s been killing me to wake up and walk in the morning,” Bourgeois said. “It’s been tough for me. Today, I woke up and I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t get warmed up as much as I tried.”
The wraparound series ends Monday night. You know you’ll be passing by, just like you know that you won’t be able to avoid looking at the steaming hulk on the side of the road, wondering if there was anyone in there you knew, or if there could possibly be survivors of such a horrible wreck.
Trade your gallows humor in the GameZone, if you dare.