A’s 6, Astros 3
contributed by Mr. Happy
One of my favorite big league managers of all time was the late Earl Weaver, who once said that the secret to winning baseball games was pitching and three run homers. Tonight, the Astros got starting pitching and one three run dinger, but it proved not to be enough, as the home nine dropped their fourth in a row to the ageless Bartolo Colon and the Oakland Athletics 6-3. The problem for the Astros tonight was one Ronny Cedeno, whose critical error in the sixth inning allowed three unearned runs score in a four run uprising that made a loser out of Bud Norris, whose gutsy 122 pitch performance deserved better. Ronny Cedeno will remind no one of the Orioles’ rangy Mark Belanger at SS.
The bats came to life a little tonight against Colon, highlighted by Jason Castro’s three run oppo that put the Astros out in front 3-1. The Astros garnered eight hits against Colon in his six frames. However, Colon, a wily veteran who doesn’t walk anyone, wormed his way off of the ropes by using his famous sinker to induce an inning-ending twin killing in his last frame, one of his ten groundball outs. Colon doesn’t strike out too many hitters anymore, but, at 39, he remains a serviceable big league starter. The A’s shut-down bully slammed the door on the Astros, who managed eight hits with only four (yes, four) strikeouts tonight.
Some observations are in order. I applauded Bo Porter in the Game Zone for sticking with Norris at a point where the pitch count priests were apoplectic. A few of us questioned the decision to play Ronny Cedeno at SS against a right-hander, particularly since, in all likelihood, Cedeno will start again today against the portsider. The only explanation must have been to give Jose Altuve a night off in the field. I have been less than impressed with Cedeno since his late signing at the end of spring training.
Poor Chris Carter, who accounted for half of the Astros’ strikeouts and who didn’t hit the ball out of the infield, is lost right now. For his sake, Bo Porter must give him today off to settle down. J.D. Martinez and Brandon Barnes can man the corners today, particularly against the lefty. Dallas Keuchel threw a serviceable three innings, surrendering only Seth Smith’s meaningless opposite field homerun. Keuchel was in a serious corners jam in the eighth inning when he induced a nifty 1-6-3 off the bat of the Sasquatch (Josh Reddick, per Austro) to save the save opportunity for Grant Balfour. Ron Brand owes Keuchel a cold one for that.
Lucas Harrell goes today against a tough lefty, Brett Anderson, as the Astros try to avoid a series brooming by the visitors. Come check us out in the Game Zone. We don’t bite. Unless you say something idiotic.