Damn Sam Fuld’s tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth inning
WP: Dan Otero (8-1)
LP: Chad Qualls (1-4)
SV: Eric O’Flaherty (1)
contributed by Sphinx Drummond
The thing about Billy Beane is he knows that athletes make better baseball players than Astronauts. All I know is that if I were going to the Moon I would rather have Chad Qualls at the helm of my rocket ship than Eric O’Flaherty. Still, the hipster band of athletes from the San Francisco Bay Area spoiled Qualls’ attempt to pick up his 16th save by scoring three runs in the top of the 9th inning to turn a 2-3 deficit into a 5-3 lead and a 2 games to 1 series win for the visitors.
Astro starter Brad Peacock actually pitched fairly well, giving up 4 hits and a run while walking 5 batters and striking out 6. He also threw a wild pitch and hit a batter but he kept things mostly under control up until he gave way to Kevin Chapman in the 6th with the bases loaded and one out. Chapman was able to limit the damage to one run on a sacrifice fly before getting the next batter to fly out to shallow right field.
Robbie Grossman, Dexter Fowler, and Chris Carter all got 2 hits in the game. Carter connected on his 33rd long ball of the season with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, which was sweet, but too little too late. Thirty three homers ties Carter for second with Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Abreu, one behind MLB leader Nelson Cruz. Jose Altuve got one hit, he is still leading the majors in batting average and hits.
Thursday the Astros play host to the Arlington Rangers with Collin McHugh going against Nick Tepsech. Since it’s the Rangers, it will be on television on FSSW (Warning: turn the sound down).
Game Time: 3:43.
Weather: INDOORS
Attendance: 14,791