Thursday, July 30, 2009

Astros 3
FTC 12

W: Hart | L: Ortiz

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Game Zone

Brutal. Not much more to say than that. Ortiz sealed his fate with just over 2 innings of 9 hits and 9 runs tossed. The best thing about this game was that CB Bucknor got hit. Twice. I can’t even go over what happened except to say that I had to look away numerous times for fear of acting out in ways that would frighten my co-workers. At times, it was much like staring at a picture of Shane MacGowan.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mess 8
Astros 3

W: Hernandez | L: Moehler | S: Green

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Game Zone

The Astros looked uninspired in losing the rubber game to the steM this afternoon. Consequently, I am uninspired to write this recap. Not to mention I spent a good part of the game meeting with Dave, The Trapper Guy about a particularly persistent squirrel who has found the eaves above my home office a suitable nesting spot.

A walk and 3 straight doubles netted the Astros a 3-run lead in the bottom of the 1st by laying off Livan and making him throw strikes. But that lead evaporated into the ether in the 3rd on a bunch of steM hits, including one of their 3 triples, and the game was tied. Next inning the Flushing Fucks took the lead for good off of Moehler and for the rest of the game, the Astros had none of the patience or success they showed in the 1st. 3 more Mess runs off of Arias made me go finish cleaning the gutters.

Every other team in the Central except the FTCs lost. Cocksuckers.

Talk Zone

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Astros 3
Dodgers 4

W: Troncoso | L: Hawkins | S: Broxton

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Game Zone

Despite the bats of Blum, Bourn and Lee, a fine outing by Ortiz and a 1-run lead in the 7th, the Astros managed to hand this one over to the Dodgers without much effort on their part.

The 3 runs for the Good Guys all came in the 3rd and began with a lead-off double by Bourn. The poor guy watched as Kepp popped out and Miggy lined hard but both to 1B. Lee came through, though with a sharp single to right that scored Bourn easily. Blum finished the scoring with a sweet shot to the right field stands and the Astros had a 3-0 lead.

Ortiz did a good job of holding down the top of the Dodgers’ order but damn that no. 8 hitter! Both of the runs Ortiz surrendered were on doubles by Officer Brad, scoring Kemp twice. He left after 6 with a 1-run lead.

The Astros had plenty of opportunies. 9 left on, baserunners in each of the first 5 innings but none of them got past second outside the 3rd inning.

Arias relieved Ortiz and proceeded to cough up the lead in ugly fashion. The lead-off single to Kemp wasn’t so bad and he fielded Ausmus’ sac bunt cleanly. But he muffed a catch covering 1st base on DeWitt’s grounder to Coste, allowing Kemp to get to 3rd. Then, he fielded Furcal’s chopper in front of the mound and inexplicably let the ball slip from his hand as he attempted to throw Kemp out at the plate. 3-3.

The winning run came from Kemp again, a solo shot in the 8th off of Hawk with 2 outs. Walk the 7th hitter who’s gotten on base every at-bat to get to the 8th hitter who’s driven him home twice? Fickle game, this baseball. Frustrating loss, that’s for sure.

Still, they took a split at the west leaders, which is…ok…I guess. Back home tomorrow for 3 against the central leaders.

Read Craig’s Series Preview here.
Talk Zone

Thursday, July 16. 2009

Astros 3
Dojers 0

W: Wandy (9-6) | L: Wolf (4-4) | S: Valverde (9)

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Game Zome

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Natinals 4
Astros 9

W: Not Ortiz | L: Lannan
HR: El Vendo

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Game Zo…..eh?…oh.

I don’t blame anyone for not wanting to talk about Astros baseball after the 9 minute shitfest of an opening act tonight. The Good Guys themselves had all of about a half an hour to shake off the stink, go out and try to avoid the sweep of shame, a road AND home loss in the same evening.

I wanna smack you! ----- Right here, buddy!

Russ Ortiz toed it tonight and spent most of his 3 innings struggling and Coop had seen enough after he’d given up 4 on 6 hits and 2 BBs and a HBP. The media volleying began shortly after the game (I’d link the Chron but just don’t have the stomach for it) and discussion followed in the TZ. I scratched my head initially but I see both sides. He could have let him go one more to get to his spot in the order and see if he could right things, but I can’t blame Coop for pulling Ortiz because he clearly wasn’t getting anything past the Nats. Coop may manage from the seat of his pants but whatever is swimming in that cerebral soup, he wants to win and he really did tonight.

Astros bats kept it close with 1 each in the 1st and 3rd but it wasn’t until the 6th that the real wood started flying. A lead-off double by Pudge was followed by a Blum single and an outstanding 2-run triple to right center by Kepp that tied things up and chased Lannan. After a Michael’s PH K, June “Star Award” winner Michael Bourn came through again with an oddly-played shot off of the left field scoreboard. Adam Dunn let it sail over his head while looking back towards the infield. By the time Dunn had caught up to the carom, Bourn had raced around second and slid into 3rd just ahead of the throw. Kepp scored the go-ahead run with still only one out. Next batter, Miggy dropped one in front of Dunn to bring Bourn home and cushion the lead at 2.

More blasting caps in the 8th brought down the mighty Nats bullpen. A PH single by Kaz (why haven’t we parted ways with him? Slacker!) and a Tejada HBP set up Twinkie’s majestic blast into the first row of the Crawfords. 9-4.

Lest we forget, the Astros bullpen stood tall under the weight of Coop’s massive whim tonight. Fulchino, Arias, Byrdak, Sampson and Valverde covered 6 innings without a run.

The gNat attack continues tonight with Olsen facing Oswalt at 7:05 CDT.

Talk Zone

Sunday, June 28th, 2009

Tigers 4
Astros 3

W: Seay (1-1) | L: Valverde (0-2) | S: Rodney (17)

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Game Zone

The game seemingly at hand, 1-run lead with 2 outs in the 9th, Jose Valverde faced Marcus Thames, 0-3 already in the game. Quickly up 1-2, Valverde delivered 3 straight balls way outside the zone, Thames not even tempted to swing. The second pitch Valverde gave to Brandon Inge was very tempting and ended up deep in the Crawfords. The 2-run shot gave the Tigers all they needed to avoid the sweep the Astros were so close to tasting. 4-3 was the final, ending the Astros win streak at 3.

The Astros scored 2 to take the lead in the 4th and could’ve had more were it not for the dumbass sitting in the corner seat in left field foul territory.

Gunther’s laser down the left field line seemingly scored both Kepp and Carlos from 2nd and 1st. But upon closer inspection, numbnuts with the fancy seat and a raisin for a brain reached out and touched the ball, changing it’s direction slightly and prompting the umps to take Lee off of his supplemental oxygen and send him back to 3rd. What is it about the IQ of the people they allow to sit there? They have courtside seats in basketball, yet you don’t see some idiot reaching out to grab the ball durning the game. Not only should they be kicked out of the game but they should not be allowed back in again. Ever.

Ortiz pitched very well for his second straight start, allowing 2 runs in 7.1 and leaving with a 1-run lead and a chance for his 1st win since early May. He gave up 1 in the 5th on an RBI double by Inge and then 1 in the 6th on a solo shot by Granderson. Byrdak struck out the rest of the 8th, leading to Papa Grande’s fateful 9th.

Still, 2 of 3, the team looks cohesive. Go pound the Budweiser and bring on the Fathers!

Talk Zone