ST. LOUIS 3, Houston 1
July 26, 2011
Busch III
WP – Westbrook (9-4, 4.86)
LP – Myers (3-11, 4.66)
ST. LOUIS (SnS) – The 2011 Houston Astros are very accomplished at finding unique and different ways to lose, you can say that for them. I suppose in a season where they are likely to lose 110+ games, that sort of skill is a requirement. The Astros lost to a mediocre St. Louis Cardinal team here tonight, 3-1. It was the second night in a row they dropped a game to the Dreadbirds, this time squandering a nice complete game start by Brett Myers in the process.
Myers must be wondering by now exactly who he pissed off in his past to deserve a year like this one. Well, the difference in the game tonight was a scarifying two-run line drive home run to dead center by Albert Pujols in the bottom of the first. No big surprise there, except it wasn’t a home run, it was a double (maybe) off of the top of the wall. This was patently clear to Michael Bourn, who played the carom expertly and was in the process of wheeling around to line up for some kind of outfield assist when he spied Pujols and the 3B umpire swirling their index fingers around in unison, Pujols trotting between 1st and 2nd with a stoopid smile in his ugly fucking face. It was patently clear to JD and Brownie and anyone watching the FOX broadcast, even before they ran numerous replays that clearly confirmed the initial impression. There was enough controversy brewing that the umpires retired to some mysterious room under the stands to review the play.
The main concern at that point was where they were going to put the base runners after they reversed the call, but inexplicably, the home run was allowed to stand. JD was bewildered as to what the umps saw to make them uphold the original call. I think it was Pujols breaking into his home run trot and waving his stupid finger. No way they were going to contradict Prince Albert in St. Loouie. Or, as Deshaies finally summed it up, life isn’t fair. Neither is baseball. Oh, yeah.
Really, it wouldn’t feel right arguing about this too much. I am certain the Astros would have lost some other way if this one had been discounted. I feel sorry for Myers, though.
I wish I were more descriptively eloquent, but I suck at painting pictures with words, and I can’t illustrate anything worth a crap. The recaps lately have been emitting a lot of graphical firepower, which I love to look at, but I cannot compete with it. About all I can do is come up with hackneyed clichés and bullshit bromides, of which I have a nearly endless supply; though if the Astros keep it up, I am in danger of running out of those.
Not much else to say. There are a few things in life we can be relatively sure of – the sun will rise most mornings; a cephalopod will almost always come out tough and chewy, no matter how you cook it; and if there was a game last night, the Astros probably lost it, big time. Likely in some unusual and disconcerting way.
Well, I went to see the doctor
And I had my fortune read
And you know, the doctor told me,
“Son, you’d better stay in bed.”
Who’s that coming down that road?
Looks like he’s carrying a heavy load
What is that word that he’s starting to say?
“Want to come with me on my way?”
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