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General Discussion => Archive => News Archive 2006 => Topic started by: pravata on April 26, 2006, 02:50:13 am
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30 years ago, along about the 2nd inning of this game, Rick Monday, playing for the Cubs in Chicago scooped up an American flag that 2 protestors had run on the field to try to burn. The Astros honored him for that split second decision during this game. He has been offered a million dollars to give up that flag. He won?t. Nothing to do with patriotism but neither the Astros nor the Dodgers were willing to give up this game.
It started innocently enough. Fernando Nieve who hadn?t pitched in 8 days facing a Dodger lineup that swings a bat once every 8 days. He got into some trouble in the first. Allowing a runner to get to 3rd and somehow involved Morgan Ensberg running a runner towards home in a rundown. It took him 30 pitches to get out of the inning, but no runs scored.
In the bottom half, the Astros scored a run on 3 pitches off Brad Penny. Biggio hit a first pitch double, Taveras got a single on a bunt which the Dodger catcher sweetened by throwing the ball over Garciaparra, Biggio scored. With two outs Preston Wilson spun on an inside pitch and shot a single to right. Taveras scored from 2nd to make it 2-0.
And on it went. The Astros were attacking Brad Penny who was attacking the strike zone. The Dodgers were watching Nieve as he tried to hit the corner. They finally got to the Snow Man in the 5th, Lofton doubled home Furcal. Springer came on in relief, allowed a run scoring single by Kent. Tied 2-2.
In the 5th Adam Everett got hit on the wrist, in game report was that it was a bruise and the x-rays were negative, he?s day to day.
Following Springer the Astros ran out a string of effective relievers. Gallo struggled through the 6th , Qualls the 7th, Wheeler the 8th?. that would be all the effective relievers until extra innings.
Extra innings? Yes, on it went. In the 7th, Preston Wilson got a single, the first for the Astros since the 1st inning. He steals second. With one out, Ausmus singles to right, Wilson rounds third and challenges Drew, who threw high and up the line, but Wilson retreated to third. Meanwhile an alert Ausmus slipped into 2nd. Bruntlett, in for Everett, gets an IBB and Lamb pinch hits. He smashes a liner up the middle, but Kent, somehow playing up the middle on a left handed hitter, makes a diving catch, and saves the run.
Penny gets Biggio to 0-2 but then snaps a slider at the right foot of Navarro who can?t handle it, the ball goes to the wall, and Wilson trots home. Wheeler makes quick work of the 8th and the Astros take a 3-2 lead into the 9th.
Lidge walks the first batter Robles on 4 pitches to a chorus of boos. The speedy Repko pinch runs for Robles, Repko steals 2nd while Lidge was concentrating on Furcal; who he Ks with a slider on the corner. Then, facing Lofton, Lidge bounces a slider off Ausmus and Repko is standing on 3rd. Lidge, unable to spot his slider, then walks Lofton, IBBs Drew and they?re looking at Kent with the bases loaded. 0-2, Lidge frisbees a slider high and away, Kent flicks it to right, a game tying fly. Lidge then gets Garciaparra to ground out.
The excitement in the bottom of the 9th was Ausmus getting tossed for arguing balls and strikes. Nice going college boy.
In the 10th , Claude Hooper Bukowski? Charles Bukowski? NO DAVE Borkowski comes on. His first game as an Astro. 4 innings, 1 hit, no runs 4 strikeouts.
He saved the game for the Astros.
Meanwhile, in the 10th , 11th , the Astros had runners at second and don?t score. In the 12th, they had the bases loaded and didn't score. In the 14th Astacio came on for Borkowski. He gets in a jam, IBBs the bases loaded with 2 outs, but the Dodgers switches had the pitcher batting 6th, they pinch hit Odalis Perez who smacks a grounder up the middle that Bruntlett fields in the outfield grass, his back foot slips on the throw but he gets Perez at first.
Bottom of the 14th, Preston Wilson knocks home the winning run on a sac fly to center, scoring Taveras who had walked and advanced to third on a Berkman single.
I don't know how many bottles of beer
I have consumed while waiting for things
to get better
I dont know how much wine and whisky
and beer
mostly beer
I have consumed ?.
Series tied at 1-1, Astros try for a series win with Wandy Rodriguez vs Odalis Perez, 7:05