Bombs Away

Posted on April 9, 2009 by JackAstro in Game Recaps

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Astros 6
Baby Bears 11

W: Lilly (1-0) | L: Moehler (0-1)
HR: Yes, many.

Footer Recap
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GameZone

(Ed. note: Holy shit, what a day. Sorry for the delay, but remind me to tell you about what’s been keeping me from my appointed rounds over a beer sometime.)

Like this, but with more Astros players, fewer Minnesotans

The wind was out of the sails early in this one, and though the Good Guys’ bats were lively, it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome a horrific first two innings in the form of 8 Cub runs. Moehler opened the game with a hail of bat shrapnel as four runs came across via a potpourri of dribblers, conventional hits and detonated maple in the first. The second inning didn’t go any better, and Moehler was pulled with two men on base after allowing the fifth run.

In a bit of bad luck, Russ Ortiz’s first official pitch as an Astro accidentally bounced off of Fontenot’s bat and landed in the right field bleachers for an 8-0 Cubs lead. From there, he settled in reasonably well, at one point striking out six of seven batters. Ortiz appeared to tire after three innings, and handed the ball to Sampson with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the fifth. An ErrorMiss double put a couple of extra runs on Ortiz’s tab, but the majority of his surprise outing was good, the start and finish notwithstanding. Sampson, Geary, Li’l Wesley and Brocail all looked good in relief, though Brocail gave up a solo tater in the ninth.

With the beer league softball format in place early, the ‘Stros went apeshit with the long ball, plating all six of their runs on five big flies. Keppinger, Twinkie, Pudge, Kaz and Thunder Pants all got in on the action, which dulled the sting of getting pimp-slapped by the fucking Cubs. At least a little bit. I’m not sure if this will wind up being the standard batting order vs lefties, the standard batting order vs everybody, or just the standard batting order for April 8, 2009, but the card Cooper turned in worked a lot better with Pence at 6 and Pudge at 7, at least to these eyes. Small sample size caveats aside, this was a more rational order than anything that’s been run out since the club acquired Pudge, and hopefully marks the return of wildass tinkering by Coop on a nearly daily basis some sort of reason to the process of filling out a lineup. Fingers crossed.

The Good Guys are back in action tomorrow agin the Co-ards, with Hampton taking the ball for Houston. No word on whether Hampton’s Hammies will make the trip, or whether they’ll debut on the Furries Concourse at MMPUS during the next homestand.

Chicks dig the long ball

Ivan Down? Brandon Back?

Posted on April 9, 2009 by pravata in News You Can Use

Following the Astros’ game on Tuesday night, Cecil Cooper pulled Pudge Rodriguez aside to tell him he was going to drop him in the order the next game.

Better, much better.

Posted on April 8, 2009 by BudGirl in Game Recaps

Cubs 2, Astros 3

W: Doug Brocail, L: Neal Cotts
Box Score

Yahoo Recap
Astros Recap

wandy Wandy Rodriguez had a good night. He gave up one run on four hits, with four strike outs and three walks in six innings. The run came in the third inning when Ryan Theriot hit a double and then was single in by Derrick Lee.

Ryan Dempster had a pretty good night also. He went 5 innings giving up two runs on six hits with three walks. Miguel Tejada broke up the no-hitter Dempster had going into the fourth inning. Hunter Pence led off the fifth inning by hitting a homerun to tie the game. In the sixth inning, Geoff Blum singles, moved over by Hunter Pence’s single and scores on Michael Bourn’s single. Amazing what happens when you string some singles together.

Pitching changes started in the seventh. Chris Sampson came in to relieve Wandy Rodriguez, pitched a scoreless and hitless inning. Angel Guzman came in to pitch for Ryan Dempster and pitched a scoreless inning of work.

The pitching changes for the eighth inning brought LaTroy Hawkins to the mound for the Astros. LaTroy Hawkins gave up two hits and one run. That run was Alfonso Soriano hitting a homerun to deep left. Aaron Heilman came in for the Cubs and pitched a scoreless inning.

Tie game going into the ninth. Jose Valverde came into the game for the Astros and tossed a scoreless inning. Aaron Heilman still pitching for the Cubs gave up a hit to Geoff Blum and then was relieved by Neal Cotts. He had some traffic on the bases but no one was able to cross home plate.

Still tied going into the tenth inning. Tim Byrdak relieved Jose Valverde and pitched a scoreless inning. Kevin Gregg relieved Neal Cotts inheriting Ivan Rodriguez on second. Jason Michaels hit a deep fly to move Ivan Rodriguez to third. Miguel Tejada got an intentional walk to load the bases for Jeff Keppinger who proceeded to get his first hit as an Astro and the winning RBI. He might be a keeper folks.

Bench Tidbits:

Carlos Lee has been hitless in the two-games this season. I have a feeling when he finally gets that hit it is going to go a long way.

Ivan Rodriguez got his first hit as an Astro and scored a run, he also had three strikeouts.

Be sure to check out Craig’s series preview.

And for some in-game reactions, here’s the GameZone.

The Bunt Was On, Kent Relaxed

Posted on April 8, 2009 by pravata in News You Can Use

Cooper said. “In that situation a lot of times it is tough to put down a bunt. Guys do have the green light to be able to do something with the ball other than to bunt it right into an out. I thought it was a pretty good play. It just didn’t get quite executed.”

162-0 no longer possible

Posted on April 7, 2009 by pravata in News You Can Use

Roy not comfortable
“It might sound stupid, but I thought I was throwing the ball too far back on the mound,” he said. “I wasn’t really getting out there like I usually do. It seemed the ball was getting on guys later in the game than it was early.”
Link

Tinkering with the lineup
Cooper warned not to over-analyze his lineup choice for Opening Day. In fact, as soon as the Astros face a lefty, Pence will probably move up to the six-hole.

“None of this is etched in stone,” Cooper said. “My No. 3 [Berkman] is etched in stone, my No. 4 [Carlos Lee] is etched in stone, my No. 5 [Miguel Tejada] is etched in stone. The rest of it is today, it might be this, tomorrow it might be something else. Some days you play the numbers, some days you go with how you feel.”

Bourn on his bunting
“I don’t think I’m that good at it. I’m OK at it. I know I can get better at it.”

He should have a lot of opportunity, hitting in front of the PITCHER!

Cooper feeds Bourn a line
“Just let him relax, get off to a good start and we can make changes later,” Cooper said. “I’m not going to limit him in any way. I’m just going to tell him to go play his game. With the pitcher hitting behind him, or whoever is going to hit behind him, just go play, relax, have fun.”
Link

Yeah Michael, relax, have fun, what’s the worst that could happen?

And so it begins: Cubs 4, Astros 2

Posted on April 7, 2009 by MusicMan in Game Recaps

Cubs at Astros, 4/6/09
Cubs 4, Astros 2
W: Zambrano (1-0), L: Oswalt (0-1), S: Gregg (1)
HR: Soriano (1), Errormiss (1)
MLB Box score
Footer recap

Opening day. A time of memories, revelry, and in this case, reminding yourself that, much like certain other activities, even bad baseball is better than no baseball at all.

The scoresheet will reflect that the Cubs beat the Astros on opening day. The full story will tell you that the Astros did just as much to beat themselves…
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FTC, recaps

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