Astros fall to A’s 9-7 with a little too much doo from Peacock

WP: Chavez (8-6)

LP: Peacock (3-7)

SV: Doolittle (15)

Brad Peacock got off to a horrible start for the second straight game. This time he made it out of the first inning, barely. He threw close to forty pitches in the first inning but ultimately pitched his way out of a jam without giving up any runs. He wasn’t so fortunate in the second inning, giving up 5 runs, the first one, a solo shot by Jed Lowrie on the first pitch of the inning.

Jesse Chavez, who has kind of owned Houston this year, did not have a horrible start. After a first inning walk to Chris Carter, he kept the bases empty of Astros until Matt Dominguez picked up the first Astros’ hit of the night with one out in the fifth, and eventually came around to score the Astros first run of the night on an RBI ground out by Marwin Gonzalez. Chavez is 3-0 against the Astros so far this year and Wednesdays’ game was the closest contest of the three.

Jim Johnson, the ex-closer, demonstrated why he is the ex-closer while doing best to help the Astros in the 8th inning by surrendering 4 runs without retiring a batter. Dan Otero took over and gave up another run before Luke Gregerson came in to shut the flood gates and finish the inning. Sean Doolittle closed the game for the A’s in the ninth and picked up his 15th save in the process.

Altuve picked up another hit (out of 5 AB) and continues to lead the league in batting average and all of MLB with hits. Chris Carter got a double to go with a walk and only one strike out in 5 PAs. His average has now climbed to .212 with an OBP of .288. He now has 44 RBI which is second on the club behind Springer’s 51 and one ahead of Dominguez’s 43. Jason Castro and Kiké Hernandez both got two hits on the night, Kiké is batting a nifty .310.

Astros close the series with a rubber game Thursday, a Businessman’s Special which begins at 2:35 pm CST with Scott Feldman going against Jeff Samardzija.

Game Time: 3:30.
Weather: 66 degrees, Clear.
Wind: 7 mph, Out to Right.
Attendance: 28,310.

Astros 11, W.Sox 7

W: Sipp (2-1)
L: Webb (5-3)

Submitted by Reuben

After beginning the 2nd “half” with back-to-back low-scoring one-run losses, the Astros broke out the big bats Sunday, rapping 17 hits and scoring 11. Matty D led the way with a single, double, and homer, not necessarily in that order, and 4 RBI.

Altuve showed some pop as well, swatting a 2-run shot, his 3rd of the year. As would be expected of a 17-hit game, several guys did well. Chris Carter did a fine imitation of a #3 hitter with 2 doubles and a walk and 0 Ks. But Marwin may have had the biggest hit, a 2-run, 2-out single in the 7th that just found grass in front of the CF, and gave the Astro bullpen a little breathing room.

Sipp, Fields, and Qualls did a nice job shutting the door the final 3 1/3 innings after some 6th-inning shenanigans by the defense and Veras blew an earlier lead. Hopefully none of those guys will be traded this month but I suppose we ought to prepare ourselves for the possibility.

With the win, the Astros stay in 27th place in MLB, barely ahead of the Cubs and Rocks, and 1.5 games up on the Rangers.

White Sox 4, Astros 3

W: Noesi (4-7)
L: Keuchel (9-6)
SV: Putnam (3)

Good morning. It’s Possum Day. I feel like a possum in every way. Like a possum.
Wake up with a possum smile. Look at me! Look at this smile! Like a possum.
Things are all right, don’t worry about this. My mind’s amiss, I’ve lost the kiss…

Don’t call it a comeback. The Astros were beaten again, turned back at every opportunity by a team that can’t sniff .500 itself, but is again clearly the better team. Sloppy play – a Dominguez throw that sailed high and allowed a runner to score from second and Keuchel plunking a batter with the bases loaded contributed to an early 3-0 lead for the White Sox.

Springer smacked a bolt into the right-field seats in the fourth and Altuve doubled home Quique and Marwin in the top of the fifth to tie it up. De Aza tripled in the bottom half with one out though, and Tyler Flowers rang a double to left to bring in the winning run.

Two leadoff singles in the seventh were wasted by a failed sacrifice, strikeout and tapper to third. In the ninth, Grossman walked and Gonzalez singled with one out. Altuve was called out on strikes and then Putnam put out the fire by fanning Castro.

Remember that 14-6 run in May and June? I hope you do, and clearly too, because you’ll want to suck on that piece of gravel now that summer’s here and the Astros have gone 8-20 since. Gravity wins.

Got a hole in my heart the size of a truck
The size of a truck

The devil tried to fill me up but my down was high as the sky is up
Ain’t that just my luck
Calm as an angel

Not the Cubs 3
Astros 2

contributed by NeilT

I was going to write a recap today, but I guess you know by now what happened.  Orange Whoopass says that everything’s under our confidentiality agreement, but screw that.  I’ve kept the personal messages, and here’s exactly how it went:

RonBrand:  NeilT!  We here at Orange Whoopass are so excited that you are our number one first choice to recap the White Sox game on July 18.  We’ve been following your career for a while now, both with scouts and with our crack analytical team here in Houston, and we think you will make a tremendous addition to the organization.

Me:  Gee guys, I’m thrilled.  Being the number one pick to recap a game for OWA, I mean, that’s like the best.

RonBrand:  We’re excited that you are excited.  And of course there’s the perks of being a big time recapper for a big time organization.

Me:  Thanks guys.  Have you talked to my agent, HH?

HH:  The contract has to be in NY before 4:00 central time on the 18th.  My client will sign for one meelion samolians.

RonBrand:  As we’ve discussed, Mr. HH, that’s within our range.   We’ll get the paper work right out to you.

Me:  O man O man O man O man, one meelion samolians, and all I have to do is write a White Sox recap!  I mean there’s nothing harder than writing a White Sox recap, ‘cause they only exist as the Not-The-Cubs, but for one meelion samolians!  There’s got to be some stupid shit I can talk about.

HH:  No shit.  I don’t give a fuck what the mouth breathing internet bloggers think, as long as the Astros win.

RonBrand:  There is the matter of The Physical.

***
RonBrand:  NeilT, I’m sorry, there’s a problem with your physical.

Me:  But . . . but . . . but . . . look at my record.  I show up every Saturday.  I write stuff about games that may or may not have actually occurred.

HH:  Do you ever stop whining?

Me:  Some of the stuff I’ve written may actually be mildly amusing.

RonBrand:  That’s the problem NeilT, when we did your physical we discovered that you don’t have a funny bone in your writing arm.  You’re not funny.  You are so not funny that we thought we were seeing the MRI from Mr. Happy.  Sure, you’ve done ok at the levels where you’ve recapped, but son, this is big league recapping,

HH:  What on earth did you think we are going to say?

RonBrand:  We’ll give you some chewing  gum, two scrubbed and polished Indian head pennies, two soap figures representing you and HH, a tarnished spelling medal, and a pocket watch that doesn’t work with an aluminum knife.

Me:  I have to admit, that’s a pretty generous offer to a guy with no funny bone.

HH:  Time to just focus on Tracy McGrady’s retirement.

RonBrand:  Ok, we’ll give you what’s behind door number 3.

HH:  My client wants one meelion samoliens.

RonBrand:  No

Me and HH:  Yes.

RonBrand:  No

Me and HH:  Yes.

RonBrand:  No

Me and HH:  Yes.

RonBrand:  No

Me and HH:  Yes.

***
So I guess you know, we never reached agreement, no terms got sent to New York,  and I’m not recapping tonight’s game.  Screw those guys at OWA, I’ll go write for some junior college website.  You’ve got to have standards, and clearly my standards are very high.

Boston 11, Houston 0

W: Buchholz (4-5)
L: Peacock (3-6)

Submitted by Reuben

So I’m in Paris, and I go into a café Sunday evening, expecting to see the Astros game on the TVs in there. I mean, not only is it an Astros game, but they’re playing the Red Sox, AKA The Most Interesting Team In The World. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that they were playing the World Cup final between Germany and Argentina instead! Stupid Frenchies!

Ah well. I suppose it would’ve felt weird eating escargot while watching baseball, anyway.

This was one to forget for the Astros. 11 Runs, 16 Hits, and 8 Walks allowed; 3 errors committed, 12 Ks and 0 walks for Astro batters. Bizarrely, Bo Porter yanked Peacock 5 batters into the game. I understand he was a little wild, and had the bases loaded with a run in but…Bo does realize that his bullpen sucks, right? Just asking.

Amazing fact: Chris Carter was the only member of the starting lineup not to strike out in Sunday’s game. Give the guy credit, he’s been making a lot more contact lately, and most of it hard.

With the loss, the Astros remain tied with Arizona for 28th place in baseball. The Rangers are a game and a half back in 30th.

Ok, I’m off to go drown my baseball-related sorrows in wine and fromage. Happy Bastille Day, my fellow Americans.