Wandy dandy but bats oversleep for sweep

[Ty in Tampa]

April 26, 2007

Astros 3
Pirates 5

W: Jonah Bayliss | L: Wandy Rodriguez (dude does NOT deserve to be 0-3)
Pigpen watch: 2,951 (11:30 AM CDT? Pshaww!)

Just don't say wingn...(DUCK!!)
Numb realizations

Other coverage
Alyson's starting to happen.
Ya-HOOOOOOO!


YAAAWN!
It's no surprise that an early first pitch after a 16 inning loss the night before would result in a lackluster performance by a reeling offense and that was surely the case as a stand-up performance by Wandy went for naught and the Good Guys dropped their sixth straight to the Pie-roots and padded their overall losing streak to six.

Attack?
It looked like maybe we were in for a surprise as Peepers started off the 1st with a double laced to left. Cool, rockin' Loretta laid down a SWEET bunt single and Twinkie did what he could, launching a sac fly to right to score Burke and the Astros were on the board. But, any idea that the bats would take advantage of Tony Armas, who came into the game sporting an ERA that was eligible to vote, was snuffed out when Kabong fouled out and Lamb struck out to end the threat. Then, the bats went back to sleep.

Wandy sails
What really was a surprise was the mastery over the 'roots lineup by 'crafty' lefty Wandy Rodriguez. He breezed through the first five innings in shut-out fashion, giving up three hits and no walks. Then in the 6th came the Astros best chance at breaking it open. Lamb led it off with a single and then LUUUKE and Win...errrr, the Field General walked to load 'em up with no one out. Heard this one before? Tracy had seen enough of Armas and brings in Bayliss to deal with Ausmus who pops up to Dirty Sanchez and fails to plate a run. A timely GIDP by "not-pinch-hit-for-because-he-was-throwing-a-gem-and-the-bully-went-9.2-the-night-before-in-a-losing-cause" Wandy left the boys on base and a tenuous 1-run lead on the board.

Premonition
Someone in the GameZone thought the shock of the top of the 6th might be too much for young Wandy to bear and sho-enuff, they was right. A Castillo single and a walk to Duffy led off the bottom half. Ann lined out to short and then with the runners going, Lamb fields a grounder and throws to first to get Sanchez out by an inch. Wait. What's that you say? He's safe? No shit? You're kidding right? Twinkie starts spitting unshelled seeds out of his mouth, which is totally unlike him. Dust clears, bases loaded, one out, Jason Bay, shit fuck. What could have been another dramatic, psyche-killing bomb was tempered by a 2-run single and W-Rod struck out the next 2 batters but the damage was done. The lead was gone.

More, more, more. How do you like it??
Wandy worked the 7th 1-2-3 and walked Duffy in the 8th to end a very strong outing. Qualls comes in and all hell breaks loose. Single, sac bunt, IBB, plunk-in-a-run, K, 2-run single. In comes fresh farmhand Stephen Randolph to face McLouth and after a fine sequence of pitches, strikes him out looking.

Rally???
Nice try but, no. It got exciting. They scored a couple. I mean, they even had the bases loaded but it all fizzled out on an Everett grounder to 3B.

It's April. Hope springs eternal. The Brew Crew are waiting at the crib. Sparky the stopper. Go kick the shit out of 'em!


(Damn, that JackAstro is a tough act to follow!)