Pirates at Astros, 9/8/08
Astros 3, Pirates 2

W: Arias (1-0) L: Snell (6-11) S: Valverde (41)
HR: Saccomanno (1)

Molony/astros.com
Box score

Alberto Arias had 21 innings of big-league experience entering tonight’s game, all in relief with Colorado. Naturally, he went 9 up, 9 down with 5 strikeouts on his first trip through the lineup. Some creative baserunning by Nyjer Morgan, no doubt distracted by the thought of “where the hell did I get this first name?”, resulted in a 3-2 putout on a thrown away pickoff in the fourth. That play allowed Arias to survive a scoreless fourth despite 2 hits and 2 walks.

Mark Saccomanno had zero major league at bats entering tonight’s game, but fortunately, mom and dad live in town so they could attend his major league debut. Hope they hadn’t hit the concession stand, because it lasted one pitch. Well, one pitch and a trip around the bases, as Saccomanno became the 25th player in MLB history to homer on the first pitch he ever faced.

Wesley the Kid made it close in the sixth, but the bullpen was able to rally and nail down a 3-2 victory to close the gab with the Brewers to 5 games.

Astros at Cubs, 9/1/08
Astros 3, Cubs 0
W: Oswalt (13-9) L: Marquis (9-8) S: Valverde (38)

Footer’s recap
Box score

I love the fact that Roy swears he’s not doing anything differently. Sure, Roy… the drop of 2 runs in your ERA after the ASB is just a matter of balls falling in gloves.

Anyways, Roy was the Roy of old once again, dealing to the tune of 4 hits and no walks over 8 1/3 innings. Of course, 2 of those hits were in the ninth, leading to a save opportunity that was much more interesting that we thought it would be.

The offensive side of the ledger featured some great baserunning by the Puma, who tagged up and took second on a Blum sac fly that plated Tejada, which put him in place to steal third and trot home on Hunter’s single up the middle. Berkman also later went first to third on a wild pitch when Soto threw wildly trying to nail Miggy at the plate.

On the flip side, I’d like to issue a perssonal memo to Jose Castillo:
Breaking your bat on a 3-0 fastball from Samardzija – a guy who had just managed to walk Hunter Pence, for crying out loud – is not a good way to win a job for next year.

Astros at steM, 8/25/08
Mets 9, Astros 1
W: Pelfrey (13-8) L: Moehler (9-5)
HR: Pretty much every time Delgado came up

I know Ms. Footer. I’ve read Ms. Footer. You, sir, are no Footer.
Box score

Remember the days when the Astros’ offense would routinely shut down against mediocre pitching? Those were the days, my friends – I thought they’d never end.

Well, they were back in full force on Monday night, as the Mess forced a split with the “aw, how cute, they think they’re contending!” Astros by the score of 9-1.

It was all over but the shouting after the first inning, when Carlos Delgado, on a fine piece of hitting, took a Moehler offering the other way, just off the base of the foul pole, for a 3-run dinger that would give Mike Pelfrey all the cushion he needed.

(Also pictured: Delgado crushing a WW offering to make it a 7-0 game.)

The Astros never seriously threatened; Blum’s 2 attempts to start a rally were quickly erased by horrific AB’s from Hunter Pence, who continues his downward spiral. Newhan and Wigginton combined to plate the meaningless shutoffkiller in the ninth. (Moral victory! WHOOOP!)

Strosrays waxed eloquent in a sparse GZ.

Hurry, Star Blazers! There are only 31 games left to get the 24 wins you need for 90!

Astros at Brewers, 8/18/08
Brewers 9, Astros 3
W: Sabathia (14-8) L: Wolf (8-11)
HR:Abercrombie (2), Wigginton (16)

The Good:
The Astros got 3 runs off previously untouchable CC Sabathia.
Abercrombie showed what happens when he actually makes contact.
Private Pyle moved to .458/.469/.932 in August, and his dong to CF made a satisfying “clang” off the batter’s eye.

The Bad:
Brocail, Wright, and Geary all surrendered insurance runs.

The Ugly:
Randy Wolf surrendered 6 runs in 4 innings, all coming with 2 outs. The major damage came from a 5-run 4th inning, when it looked like Wolf had wiled his way out of a 1st and 2nd, nobody out jam. Unfortunately, his intentional walk to Jason Kendall backfired when Sabathia, as Coach put it, “guess right on the first pitch”, resulting in a 2-run single to LF, where Private Pyle was ill-equipped to gun down the runner at the plate.
Can: open. Worms: everywhere.
Durham and Jardy followed with 2 more hits to bring the score to 6-0, effectively ending the game.

Giants at Astros, 8/11/08
Astros 3, Giants 1
W: Backe (7-11) L: Sanchez (8-9) S: Valverde (29)

Astros.com recap (Oliphant in for Footer – please don’t throw spitballs at the substitute.)
Boxscore

The Astros overcame 5 innings of no-hit ball and some Barker-esque baserunning to beat the lowly Giants 3-1, capping a triumphant march from craptitude to perfect mediocrity. [/pessimism]
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