The Astros elevated their record to 5-2 Monday by outlasting the Nationals 5-4 in a 12-inning contest. Eric Bruntlett was the hero today, hitting a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to win the game and the series.
We may be seeing the likes of a friendly competition between Lance Berkman and Preston Wilson, as both homered in their first at-bat of the game to give the Astros an early 2-0 lead after two innings. Each has four home runs, and they have hit all of their bombs in the same games. Maybelline also has a six-game hitting streak, while Rainman has a five-game streak.
Wandy Rodriguez turned in a pretty good outing, giving up three runs over seven innings. Jose Vidro, who hit 7x19 with 8 RBI in the series, had an RBI single in the top of the 4th inning to cut the Astros' lead to 2-1. After Eric Munson made it 3-1 with a sac fly to left-center in the bottom of the 4th, the Nats tied the score at 3-3 in the 5th. Marlon Byrd grounded into a bases-loaded 5-4-3 double play with nobody out, scoring Marlon Byrd. Then Vidro added another RBI single.
Neither team scored again in regulation. The Astros nearly pushed one across in the bottom of the 8th as Berkman tried to score from third on a grounder hit by Jason Lane. The ball went to second and Vidro threw home, and Berkman was caught in a rundown.
In the 10th, former Astro Daryle Ward lined a homer off Brad Lidge which reached the right field seats in about two seconds. But Morgan Ensberg answered in the bottom of the inning with his first bomb of the year, a shot to right-center off Chad Cordero which tied the ballgame.
Craig Biggio nearly ended it all by himself in the bottom of the 12th, missing a homer into the Crawford Boxes by a few feet. Instead, he settled for a double off the wall, and moved over to third on a sac bunt by Willy Taveras. Berkman and Ensberg then were both intentionally walked to get to pinch-hitter Bruntlett. Eric The Great then made the Nationals pay, hitting a fly ball to shallow center that allowed Bidge to score from home. A slow throw by center fielder Brandon Watson also helped.
Chad Qualls picked up the win, pitching scoreless 11th and 12th innings. Mike Stanton got the loss. Dan Wheeler also pitched two scoreless innings in the 8th and 9th. This was the second time Bruntlett has hurt the Nationals in extra innings, the first being his huge three-run homer in the 14th inning at RFK last July.
The Astros head to San Francisco to start a six-game road trip Tuesday night. Taylor Buchholz will make his first MLB start against Matt Morris and the Giants at 9:15pm CDT. TV coverage will be provided by FSN.
