Cubs 9, Astros 7
W. Hart 1-0
L. Oswalt 0-2

Footer Game Recap
AP Report

Wind blowing out, Marquis taking the start instead of Zambrano, who was probably sucking down prescription banana daquiris getting ready for tomorrow’s start, everything set up for an Astros’ day.

In the first three innings everything set up great. Bourn led off the game with a single up the middle, stole second, moved over as Pence topped a pitch into the Squibbler Zone, Marquis shanked the throw to 1^st but Bourn hesitated. He scored on Berkman’s bouncer to the pitcher that set up the 1-6-3.Read More

Astros 4, Them 3

W: Wesley Wright (1-0) L: John Lieber (0-1) S: Jose “Papa Grande” Valverde (1)

Box Score
Yahoo Recap
Astros.com recap

Game 1 of the weekend series ends as a win for the Astros. Chris Sampson started the game going 6 2/3rds inning, giving up 2 runs on two hits, one strike out and no walks. Gave up just enough to make sure he didn’t get the win.Read More

Padres 3, Astros 2

W: Enrique Gonzalez (1-0) L: Oscar Villarreal (0-1) S: Trevor Hoffman (2)

Yahoo! recap

Astros.com wrap from Sandy Burgin (?)

The Astros bats lost their momentum after last night’s exciting ninth inning rally, managing a mere six hits and two runs as they failed to achieve the split in the final game of a four game set in San Diego, losing 3-2 Thursday afternoon.Read More

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Astros 1
Padres 2

W: Young (1-0) | L: Backe (0-1) | S: Hoffman (1)

Ms. Footer’s submission
AP via Yahoo!

GZ
0-2 in 2008. Good or bad? Discuss.

An enthusiastic welcome goes out to the new-look SpikesnStars and a toast to everyone who made it happen. And what’s a new-look site without a new-look team to go along with it? Houston Astros v4.0 is what’s been kicking around in my head as this this team looks nothing like the one I’ve been used to for, oh, about 20 years. Busting with bats and butt-haulin’, it seems this team’s been designed for scoring loads of runs with the hope that starters 2-5 hold it together enough for the ‘pen to bring it home. Apparently, prodigious Petco Park is not exactly the ideal locale to open things up for this team as the Padres held the Astros to one walked-in run to muck up a pretty strong outing by Brandon Backe and drop game 2, 2-1.Read More

Astros at Padres, 3/31/08
Padres 4, Astros 0
W: Peavy (1-0), L: Oswalt (0-1)
HR: None (it’s PETCO, after all)
AP recap
The first Daily Footer 

I must admit, the pressure of writing the first SnS game recap was getting to me.  Fortunately, pravata dragged out this gem from the vaults of NYCU:

‘Three words — pitching, speed and defense.’ I said ‘Where’s hitting?’ He said ‘If you do those other three right, the hitting will work out,’

So let’s evaluate:

Pitching – Roy looked OK.  Not great, not bad, but OK.  A liner from the bat of Kouzmanoff that either caught Roy’s hip square, or was deflected by quick glove work (replays were inconvlusive), did not help matters; Roy was not crisp with his pitches, leaving a few too many up for sharp singles and doubles.  On the other hand, I counted at least four or five bleeders that dropped for the Pads and not the good guys. Roy’s biggest sin was letting the bottom of the order beat him – Peavy drove in 2 of the 3 scored off roy.

In the pen, Wright and Geary were sharp, Borkowski muddled through, and Moehler gave up the fourth run on two hits and a walk.

Speed – Michael Bourn is a fast, fast man. So fast that his only issue on the bases appears to be oversliding the base. Two SB’s for the youngster on the night – granted, Peavy is not renowned for holding runners, but Bard might as well have eaten the ball both times for having no shot at him.

The less said about Tejada’s attempt at a double in the 9th, the better.

Defense – Bourn saved 3 runs by tracking down a long drive to RCF. Wigginton and Berkman chipped in nice plays. Tejada looked fine at SS, although he did play one ball to the side that immediately brought out Lou Brown screaming, “What is this ole bullshit?”

Where’s hitting?  It will come, my friends. If Bourn can keep having AB’s like this; if Pence can adapt to the 2-hole; and if we don’t have to face Jake freaking Peavy every night – oh yes, it will come.

Backe tries to even the tally tonight, 9:05 CDT.