Wednesday, Auguest 5, 2009

Astros 6
Giants 10

MLB.com Recap

Sorry, back problems. Terrible pain. Here’s your recap: Astros lost.

Play Moehler off, Keyboard Coop:

“Definitely a disappointing day,” Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. “We could have used a gritty seven innings, but we didn’t get it. I thought Moehler threw the ball OK early in the ballgame but in the sixth couldn’t make a pitch. We needed him to kind of pitch out of that sixth-inning jam, and he really couldn’t make a pitch there. He was throwing [Whiteside] a sinker to get him to roll over, and it didn’t sink. That kind of costs us.”

Giants 8, Astros 1
W: Jonathan Sanchez, L: Felipe Paulino

Astros Recap
Yahoo Recap

I went to this game and the best part of the night was when the 3 1/2 year old with us sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame. We left after that because she was done. It is probably the only time we have indulged her and left early. I guess she knew how it was going to end.

There is some interesting theories about how the Astros lost this game, but they only had 4 hits in through six innings. I think that had lots to do with it. This team does not seem to be playing with the fire they need to be able to overcome injuries. Every team has injuries throughout the season and they have to overcome them. Granted the Astros have some really tough ones right now, but such is the life dealt by the BaseBallGods.

Bench Tidbits:

Read Alkie talking to himself during the game in the GameZone.

Andymas. Andy’s having a birthday party Friday, anyone want to go? Granted I do have another birthday party to attend that day. Freida, Andy, Debbie and Darrin all have the same birthday. Early happy birthday shout outs to you all. (Granted Debbie and Darrin don’t read my recaps, hell Freida and Andy probably don’t either.) But it’s the thought that counts.

Not surprising to me is that someone is going to get pissed off by deciding what kind of music to like by Texas performers.

Read Limey’s Series Preview for information about today’s afternoon game.

Oh and I have a ticket to the Eagles-Cowboys game January 3, 2010. Yee-haw.

final: houston 3  st. louis 4

espn recap

that was an extremely tough game to watch the astros lose.  i’m definitely one of those fans that feels sick to their stomach after one of these, and with the division, wildcard and .500 seeming to slowly slip away, it is all the more painful to see the astros free-fall from contention in front of the BFiB.

ivana hitter

rodriguez and his double sevens have been hitting a horrid .091 over the last seven days, and they finally managed to break out of his 0-18 slump.  unfortunately, it was one or two at-bats too late.  when pudge struck out with the bases juiced to end the 5th inning, it brought the total number of men he had personally left in scoring position to 5.  total astros lob this game = 11

no, really, you take the W

alberto arias made sure to help the cardinals steal seal the victory by giving houston’s lead away in the 8th.  with one out, he hit pujols with a pitch, which set up holliday (who went 4-4 on the day) to line a double to right, scoring pujols and putting him in position to be the go ahead run…which holliday eventually was, when rick ankiel got it done with a single to make it (what would end up being a final) 4-3.  a most undeserved win for st. louis.

a solid 4

moehler looked good, though.  everyone thought so.  i guess everyone thought so.  i really didn’t hear what cooper had to say about his starter, but i did read this:

“Sometimes you get a little aggressive on him, and he just keeps moving it out a little further.  He just throws a lot of quality pitches.  Big League pitcher.  I drink take my hat off to him,”  LaRussa said after the game.

moehler has been to the astros what hampton should have been for the team this season.  hopefully he continues to stay solid as houston tries to piece it’s rotation back together.  if norris pitches well sunday, if oswalt comes back strong, and if wandy continues to look like an ace, mike hampton should consider asking his girlfriend about possible substitute teaching gigs for the fall.

its a lot of “if’s”, sure.  but it’s much better than too many “butt’s”.

best (partial) post-game quote

“…I got right up to my release point and it squirted out of my hand.  When I let go of it, I thought i was going to throw it halfway up the backstop.”

— Brian Moehler

if you have free time this weekend

and you need a little distraction, here’s some stuff you can try to pass the time:

— read random barzilla threads/books

— count the infinite number of places one can acquire steel tubs in the houston area/start numerous threads about something…ANYTHING….other than baseball and the astros

— take a case of left hand imperial stout (and video recording device) to coach’s house

or,if you want some basball, there’s always the stellar insights of:

gamezone

series preview