Astros 0, Marlins 5
W: Hand, L: JA Happ

Box score and Recap

Yeah, the Astros lost again. They only garnered 3 hits on the night. Happ was his usual 2011 self. For some reason, he does not seem to go out with to pitch with that “je n’ais sais quois.” I think Bud for the most part has found his “je n’ais sais quois” this season. He pitches a better game, but Happ has lost his.

Not much else to say about his game, so I’m going to share other stuff.

BudGirl’s 2011 Road Trip Extravaganza

My sister, her three kids (ages 10, 12, and 16) and I are planning a road trip later this month. We are going to depart San Antonio, Texas and drive to Boston. We are not going to drive 2000+ miles without stopping so we are going to do something touristy at each stop.

Our first scheduled stop is Memphis, Tennessee. My nephew is quite interested in the Civil War (and other historical wars for that matter) so we are going to tour the Slave Haven Burkle Estate and probably check out some local parks. No plans to do any Elvis sights.

The second stop is Lexington, Kentucky. I was really hoping to catch the Legends, but we’d have to leave a day later and that didn’t work out with the rest of the trip schedule. So, in Lexington, our plans aren’t to grand. We are planning to check out the Mary Todd Lincoln House and eat at Ramsey’s on High Street. A friend of mine that attended school there recommended the place. If time permits, we’ll probably visit a horse farm or two. The countryside there is supposed to be gorgeous.

Third stop on the trip is Harrisburgh, PA. This is the first state capital city we will visit. No plans to visit the capital though. The plan for this area is Hershey. Hershey’s Chocolate World is an abosolute no-miss. Once my sister realized that was there, she got a smile on her face. This will be a great stop because we will probably need chocolate by then. Also, on the agenda at this stop is Hershey Park. This will be my break from them. I’m not a theme park person. Have no desire to go to any of them (including all that Disney crap in Orlando – 2 Spring Training Trips to date and no Disney for me). Not sure what I’ll do, probably look for a museum or something. I love stuff like that.

Since we will spend most of the day there, we don’t plan to drive to far before our next stop. The lovely, Hartford, Connecticut. One recommendation for this stop is the Connecticut Science Center. It is relatively new and highly recommended by a friend from there. He also recommended the park around the capital nice for a quick stop. I’m rather looking forward to this stop. I like seeing different capital buildings.

Next is Boston, Mass. At this stop we will be acquiring another passenger. I have a niece finishing up a 6-week job there so we are going to add her to the caravan and bring her back to Texas. We are not going to see a Red Sox game, which I am okay with since I’ve already been to Fenway and wasn’t overly impressed. But we are going to keep on the pretty historical theme of the trip and walk the Freedom Trail. I am unsure if my sister is aware of how much walking it is. Should be fun with the three kids. I think they will enjoy it though.

My absolutely gotta do thing if I ever go to Boston is go to Mike’s Pastry, yes, I know I’ve mentioned this place before. But I love the pistachio macaroons. We’ll probably check out Harvard and MIT since we will be staying in the Cambridge area. Lots of good leg stretching on this part of the trip.

With our additional passenger we go to our next stop. Which you probably didn’t guess is Dover, Delaware. The plan it to check out the Wilmington area also. I’m sure we’ll drive around yet another state capital. I’ve heard Cape May is a nice area to walk around and enjoy an ice cream. We’ll also go around the rock. There’s other things we may check out, it will probably depend on the time we want to spend. The Wilmington Blue Rocks are going to be in town, so we may check them out.

So, finally, we are going to be ready to leave the land of Yankees and head South. We are planning to have lunch somewhere in Virginia Beach. I’m sure some of you know I also love beaches. Luckily, so does my sister. After lunch, we are going to continue to drive southward to Raleigh, NC. I have a very good friend from college that lives in Raleigh and she just happens to work at the North Carolina Museum of History. How convenient for us?? The only inconvenient part is she is teaching a Civil War camp during our visit there and my nephew is not old enough to participate. She is going to give us a tour of the museum and hang out with us for a bit. I’m looking forward to the visit. I haven’t seen her in years.

After leaving Raleigh, we are going to make up some time and drive quite a bit. We want to go down the Eastern coast and get quite close to our final stop on the Extravaganza. So, we are going to stop pretty much for the night only in Hinesville, Georgia. I’d never heard of it until we were looking for a place to stop for the night. But, in doing some research, there is a bit of history in Liberty County, Georgia.

Our next and last leg of the Extravaganza is Pensacola, Florida. Two nights on the crystal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. No sight seeing for us here. Just good ole lay in sun and play in the sand kind of days. Spending the days just resting before our return to the world we live. I personally, think this is the perfect way to end our trip. Because once we leave there it is straight back to the Great State of Texas!!!

We will have one small stop in Beaumont, my sister has a sister-in-law that lives there. We may or may not drop off a kid or two there for a visit. I do not believe those details have been confirmed. It will be hard to drive through Houston and not want to stop and stay but my car and cat will be in San Antonio and I’m going to want them back.

I’m really looking forward to spending the time with my sister and her kids. Her husband might join us on the trip up to Boston, I rather hope he does, he’s a great guy. I’m not to worried about getting on each other’s nerves. We’ve done shorter road trips before and gotten along. Plus, we seem to be wanted to do the same things. Should makes decision-making much easier.

And hopefully, I’ll return to work and everyone there will realize how necessary I am (meaning, of course, I am necessary to them and not just in my mind) and give me a huge fucking raise.

Check out strosrays series preview for information about the rest of the series.

Rangers 0, Astros 7
W: Wandy Rodriguez, L: Harrison

This was the game that starts the patented Astros second half. You just wait and see. The Astros are going to start rattling off wins. And before you know it, there will be series wins and maybe even sweeps. Things are starting to turn around. All the hard work is going to pay off. The guys deserve it. Us fans deserve it. Now’s the time to show all those “experts” how great this team is.

Carlos Lee is starting to hit for power. Jason Michaels is starting to get his swing going for the bench. Hunter Pence is going to remain FOTF. Michael Bourn is going to run like the wind around the bases. Brett Wallace is going to find his way back to hitting the ball. Clint Barmes is doing good things with his glove. Wandy Rodriguez is going to start going 7 to 8 innings every start along with the rest of the starters. And Chris Johnson is going to find his swing from the end of last season.

Of course all that could happen if a couple things don’t happen. First, you can’t trade the players involved in the patented Astros second half. And secondly, you have to keep the bullpen off the field.

Seriously though, this was a nice win for the Astros. They played a clean game and had good starting pitching.

Hopefully, they can continue it throughout the weekend. It would be nice to hear some good news for a while.

Rays 7, Astros 2
W: Wade Davis, L: Bud Norris

Recap and Boxscore
GameZone

This was the usual Astros game that we are all accustomed to at this point in the season. A starting pitcher having a pretty decent outing, at least good enough to get a win. A player gets on base and forgets all lessons ever learned in baserunning. A bad bullpen giving up runs. Grounding into double plays.

I really, really, really wanted the Astros to score 5 runs in the bottom of the ninth (yes, I know it wasn’t going to happen) just to see who Brad Mills would have put at catcher. How awesome would that have been? I’m thinking it would have been Bourgeious behind the plate, unless he went to second and Keppinger caught.

Was it just me or did it seem like Hunter Pence did a cartwheel after his throw home? Seriously, all I could see were arms and legs flying everywhere. I couldn’t even watch the ball because I was watching that train wreck. So, I’m not sure if the call at home was right or wrong. You can see the replay on the video section of the recaps.

So, here’s my story of the evening. I was invited to go to the game by a friend of mine. I haven’t seen her in years. She’s a nice person but…..

The plans were made to meet at 4:15 and go to Front Porch in Midtown (at least the Midtown it is now, not the one HudsonHawk used to know). I was not going to join them for this part of the evening for two reasons. First, none of the three are what I’d consider drinking buddies. I’m not saying I want to hang out with someone that pounds the beers as a buddy, but if I’m going to meet up for drinks before a baseball game, I want to join other drinkers, rather like SnS on Opening Day. Secondly, I was at Galveston getting on my tan.

So, I meet the other three at the baseball game. We are a pretty quiet group. Nothing rowdy. Then the friend that invited me, let’s call her Sally, tells everyone that she believed me, for years, that Republicans don’t do the wave. I think it was a game in either 2006 or 2007 when I and another friend told her this. She was getting ready to participate in the wave at a game and we didn’t want her to do that so we told her that Republicans didn’t do the wave. She sat right back down. I am amazed that anyone is that gullible to believe us. And to believe it for years.

So, Sally is also a fan of Hunter Pence. Is anyone surprised? I was. I really didn’t think she would know any of the Astros. She made a comment that “he plays hard all the time.” I question that comment because she really doesn’t watch baseball.

So, the Astros double out to end the game and we decide that we are going to stay and watch the free concert. The concert was supporting the Boot Campgain.

Michelle Branch did a pretty good job. It was an acoustical performance. I really did enjoy it. She even sang the song, The Game of Love (Sphinx Drummond was worried about that.). I wasbsitting there enjoying the concert and Sally realizes it is 10:00 and she is ready to go. She’s tired. Apparently it is 2 hours past her bedtime. Sometimes people surprise me and this was one of those times.

I know I’m “talking” about someone that is a friend, but seriously? She’s like the energizer bunny hyper which can be quite tiring for those around her. So, while I love going to Astros games I’m not sure I’m not sure I’m ready to go with her again. I probably will because I love going to the games, even though the Astros are bad and she’ll drive me nuts in the process.

A special thanks to strosray fro letting me have his Rays game to recap. You’re the best man.

Cardinals 9, Astros 2
W: Lance Lynn, L: J.A. Happ

Box Score and Recaps

I really cannot think of anything good to say about the Astros in regard to this game. I can usually come away from a game and say one player or another did well, but I am not seeing it right now.

I know what this team is and good it is not. But I seem to have a hard time reconciling how bad they really are. It is going to be a horrible next two years and that is making the assumption that there is talent being drafted that are going to become productive major league players.

I believe there were 5 bases-loaded situations for the Astros in this series and they scored a total of 2 runs out of them. (Someone else can find that stat because it has frustrated me enough seeing it happen.) You have got to be kidding. That is worse than “bad situational hitting.”

This game for some reason was the worst. Not sure what it was but it seemed like the Astros had no heart in it. I think that is what is giving me problems.

Astros 7, Padres 3
W: shitty beer, L: tv dinner, S: Mark Melancon

Box Score and Recap
Game Zone

This was a game Astros fans could really enjoy. The Astros committed no errors on the night while the Padres committed three. Yes, three, all in on inning. How nice that the other team commits errors while the Astros did not?

I’d like to think Chris Johnson is returning to the 2nd half 2010 season form, but I’m not going to make that proclamation just yet. Brett Wallace seems to be getting his groove back, and I’m happy for him to bat either 5th or 6th for the rest of the season. Hunter Pence is probably going to be your All-Star. Carlos Lee is slowly and quietly increasing his batting average and Michael Bourn is doing his usual. Jeff Keppinger is making everyone happy he is back, not just with his bat but with his glove.

The bullpen, much to some people’s surprise, did not blow this game. Jeff Fulchino did make sure to let all the runners on base score instead of leaving them stranded. At least Bud Norris still got the win. Mark Melancon is doing a good job of closing games. Should be interesting with Brandon Lyons getting ready to come back. With him and Wandy Rodriguez returning, who do you want to send away?

Another busy weekend ahead, soccer games and a Sandcastle building contest.

For more information regarding the weekend games, check out Mark’s Series Preview.

Have a good weekend and Go Astros!!!