Kenny Rogers came into the game dragging a string of clanking zeros 30 innings long. Richard Hidalgo in right field snuck up on me. And the mystery player tonight was Eric Bruntlett. Check your entries, Bruntlettt, Eric Bruntlett is the correct answer.
There will be more than one report about how Backe competed with Rogers pitch for pitch. To steal JD?s comment about Nolan Ryan and apply it to The Wonder, ?he?s a competer?. And he did. His curve was working nicely. The other comment you?re likely to hear is ?one bad pitch?. Yes, one hanging stinking meatball shaped pi?ata floating knee high with a neon flashing ?hit me? sign on it of a bad pitch.
The Astros jumped out in the 2nd, Ausmus banging in Ensberg, the Train chugging around from second also trying to score, was nailed at the plate. Then Ausmus, trying to score from first on Dr Who?s double down the line, was gunned down at home. Anyone unclear about why you should hit the cutoff should TiVo that play a couple times. Both those runs would have come in handy. Bruntlett?s double was his first hit of the season and he was the last player who started the season in the Majors to get a hit.
The Rangers tied the game 1-1 in their half. Biggio misplayed a knuckling looper from Mench, which led to the run. However Bidge ended the inning with a tough diving catch in mid right field.
In the 4th, with 1 out and 2 on, Laynce ?Superfluous Y? Nix, popped a foul that drifted out of Ausmus and Ensberg?s reach into the dugout. ?Uh oh? is what I said. Next pitch was the stinky meatball.
The Astros tried a comeback in the 6th. Pigpen lead off with a double, passing somebody on the all time list and tying two other guys. Moberg lined a rocket straight into Blalock?s glove, but the Train picked him up with a scooter through the hole. Bidge finally was able to beat the throw to the plate. Tough and tight 4-2 in the 6th.
The bottom of the 6th was all Eric Bruntlett. Soriano lifted a fly that chased him to the wall. Bruntlett twisted, backpedaled and finally caught the ball smacking into the scoreboard; the ?F? from the White Sox-Cubs final firmly tattooed into his cheek. Then comes the sinking liner and the lazy fly and the Doctor accounts for all three outs in the inning. A record held by many.
In the top the 8th, the Astros try again to score some runs. All night they hit the ball well, 10 hits and some rocket shots hit right at people. Biggio huffs out a roller in the hole to short, SAFE! Then Berkman, who hadn?t been having a good night, absolutely creams a double down the line. Rocketing off the foul wall so hard Biggio could only make third. Out pops Hershiser, everybody boos, but he gives Rogers a chance to regroup. Ensberg gets under a pitch he should have smashed, but does get a sac fly out of it. Score 4-3. But that?s where the Astros night ended.
The 8th went up in smoke as Franco and Wheeler, abetted by a poor reaction play just to his right by Biggio, combined to give up 3 runs putting the game out of reach. Hidalgo?s GIDP to end the inning made me nostalgic.
Hey! Look! They play again tomorrow! 3:05, Sekel vs Princeton grad Chris Young.
