Astros 3, M’s 2
W: Norris (3-2)
L: Iwakuma (2-1)
contributed by Reuben
The game was not quick, by any means. Not particularly dirty either, but my recap will have to be both, because I have to go spend the next couple hours picking up dirt and shoveling it out of a pickup truck and into our raised veggie beds. Could be worse. Last Thursday we did the first phase: compost. Like, black angus cow-powered compost.
Anyway. The Astros Tuesday night were powered by… well, an OK but not great Bud Norris, another surprising display of power from Marwin Gonzalez, some nice baserunning from Jason Castro, and good solid defense. It also helped that the Mariners are not a particularly good team. Castro scored the first run in the 1st when he drew a walk off of the pitcher who never walks anybody, then scored all the way from first on a Carter single that was badly misplayed by the defensively-challenged Raul Ibanez in LF. Believe me, Chris Snyder would not have scored on the play.
In the 3rd, MaGo went yard, and the Astros picked up another run when Maxwell was HBP with the bases loaded and 2 outs. It proved to be the difference in the game, but unfortunately Maxwell broke his hand and is going on the DL. Now we may get a chance to see what minor league OBP-machine Robbie Grossman can do.
Also of note: Brandon Barnes replaced Maxwell in CF and made a couple great catches, ranging back right in front of Tal’s Hill. Marwin and Altuve also turned a nifty DP, aided by a great catch-and-swipe-tag by Pena to get the runner at 1st despite a wide throw from Altuve. And the ‘pen provided 4 innings of very solid relief, the only blemish a moon-shot HR by Morales off of Blackley, but otherwise no Mariner reached base.