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General Discussion => Archive => News Archive 2006 => Topic started by: pravata on October 27, 2005, 01:10:37 am
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In the first Brandon Backe already had his good off speed pitches and was showing signs of having control. The White Sox fought him off and made him work. They threatened when Dye doubled on a hanging curve. But with 2 outs, Konerko grounded sharply back to the right of the mound. Backe speared it and got out of the inning.
Biggio started the bottom of the 1st with a single to the right of short. Taveras bunted him over, the bunt was popped down the 3b line and Biggio had to hesitate. Crede would have had a play at 2nd but he got the out at first. With 1 out and a runner on 2nd, Berkman swung at a 1-2 splitter and missed. Ensberg?s check swing rolled weakly down the 1st base line and the side was retired.
The second inning started with Pierzynski lining the ball off of Backe. But Backe picked it up and threw him out. Backe got a grounder and a fly ball to end the inning.
Lamb led off the bottom of the 2nd with a line drive to right that slammed into the wall 3 feet below the home run line. That was the closest the Astros would come to scoring. He died at second as Lane K?d swinging, Ausmus looking, and Everett grounded out.
In the 3rd , with 2 outs, Podsednik tripled to right, beat the relay from Biggio, which was dropped in any case by Ensberg. No harm done as Iguchi grounded to short.
Dye started the 4th with a single. But here?s where the fun started. In spite of some big fouls, Backe struck out Konerko swinging at a change, Pierzynski swinging at a curve and Rowand swinging at another curve.
Backe continued striking out people in the 5th. He got Crede and Uribe, then the pitcher Garcia grounded out.
The Astros threatened in the 6th. With one out Taveras lined a single to right. Berkman, unintentionally, intentionally walked. With runners 1st and 2nd, 1 out, they wanted Ensberg. Ensberg took a while to dig in the box. He swung at the first pitch, a curve and fouled it. Fouled another hanging curve and struck out on a hanging slider in. Meanwhile, Taveras and Berkman were running and got the double steal with no throw. Lamb, after getting 2 pitches away, was intentionally walked to get to Lane. With the bases loaded and 2 outs, the first pitch to Lane was a strike in and up. He then fouled 5 pitches, including 2 hanging sliders and finally K?d swinging on a reprise of strike one.
In the 7th, Rowand took a 2-1 slider to center. Crede took a 1-2 fastball in to the wall in left. Rowand had to stop at third. With 2 outs, runners 2nd and 3rd, Uribe swung at a slider in the dirt, then looked at a fastball low. Backe pushed back his cap and stared in at Ausmus with a hundred yard stare. He got Uribe to swing at a slider. Then grinding with sliders, he got Uribe to swing at a high one. Backe bounced off the mound with his 7th strikeout.
Bagwell ended the 3 up 3 down bottom of the 7th, leaping at a slider away and grounding to 2nd.
Garner, said before the game, it would be great if Backe went 8. He was one inning short. Lidge came in for the 8th. The pinch hitter Harris lined a high 97 mph fastball to left to start the inning. Podsednik bunted him over. Everett moved him to 3rd with a bounce out to 2nd. Jermaine Dye took a fastball up the middle, singling in Harris. 1-0 White Sox. Konerko ended the inning swinging at a slider.
Politte came in for the 8th and with one out, Taveras took a fastball off his wrist. Berkman got the intentional walk. Ensberg, 0-3 for the day, with a checked swing roller and 2 Ks, took a high fastball on 2-0 to right center. It hung up harmlessly and Taveras advanced to 3rd. Cotts replaced Politte and Vizcaino pinch hit for Lamb. Vizcaino bounced a slow roller to short. Uribe charged, made the back hand scoop and got Vizcaino by a step.
Ashby relayed that the Astros were 0 for 29 with runners on in the Series.
Pierzynski started the 9th inning with a double but they were unable to get the insurance run across.
In bottom of the 9th, Lane faced Jenks. Fighting off 99 mph fastballs and working the count to 3-2, he dropped a single to center in front of Rowand who was playing deep. Ausmus bunted him over to 2nd. Garner then pinch hit Burke for Everett. On 2-2, Burke fouled the fastball down the 3b line. Uribe dove into the stands in the corner of the cutout and made the catch. Palmeiro was the pinch hitter. He hit a broken bat hopper over the pitcher that Uribe charged and threw, getting Palmeiro on a close play.
Appropriately, the Astros were shut out in the final game of a very entertaining season.
No game tomorrow.