Marlins 6
Astros 5
WP: S. Olsen (9-9) S: K. Gregg (23)
LP: M. Albers (2-5)
"We got back close," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "That's enough of that baloney, though. We've gotten close a lot of times." MLB recap also heard “baloney”.
It was hot, like a wet fur coat. The kind of heat that makes men do crazy things. Mostly for crazy women, made crazy by the heat. The kind of heat that makes men make bad decisions, like give a heat crazed woman a wet fur coat. That kind of hot.
Hot, it’s what JD and Brown harped on all day.
Any sane man would be in out of the heat, a man like Sydney Greenstreet for instance in a white linen suit, wearing a Panama hat, fanning himself, sitting under a ceiling fan, near a sweaty palm tree drinking battery acid in a tall icy glass, with lemon, through a straw. Waiting for Mr. Rick.
Instead, we got Greg Lucas wearing an umbrella hat.
The Astros bid to escape a road trip with a .500 record started well in the first. Singles by Loretta and Berkman, a double by Lee and a sac fly by Wigginton scored 2 runs against Olsen, one of the few major league pitchers who has been tasered.
At first Albers’ curve ball was working, but control issues put the young pitcher in a jam in the 2nd . Bases loaded, one out, a ground ball to first, Loretta was playing back and the back end of the attempt at a 3-6-1 was late, 2-1.
Then in the 3rd, Albers thought he’d mix up his pattern of first pitch breaking balls. Probably taking advice from the catcher Ausmus. Handley Ramirez hit the first pitch fastball out of the park to tie the game.
Wheels came off in the 5th. Cody Ross, who was in for Miguel Cabrera who was hit by a pitch on the elbow, doubled home Uggla who was on first after being hit by a pitch in the ribs. Then Ross scored from 2nd on a grounder up the middle that Burke dove for, touched, but couldn’t keep close.
That was Albers’ cue to leave. Stephen Randolph got the next batter to pop into foul territory behind 3rd. Wigginton and Bruntlett, battling the sun, went out for it. Wigginton, anticipating Bruntlett moving in, retired discreetly, the ball dropped. The batter then singled and another HBP loaded the bases. The 1 out sac liner to left put the game at 5-2.
The Astros tried to answer in the 6th. But two lead off singles were erased by Lee grounding into the 6-4-3.
They fell further behind in the bottom of the 6th. Randolph walked Ramirez then discovered his arm was sore (strained left bicep). Woody Williams came in to throw his bullpen to live batters. With one out, Ramirez stole 2nd and advanced to 3rd as Ausmus’ throw hit him and bounced into center. The following fly ball to center put the score at 6-2.
Further damage was averted in the 7th. With one out, the inimitable Wigginton backed up on a bouncer. His throw to 2nd was wide and they only got the force. Amezaga then doubled to center. Lane hit the cutoff Burke who relayed a one hopper to Munson, in for Ausmus on a double switch. Munson was standing in front, blocking the plate, and held on to the ball in the collusion for the 3rd out.
In the 8th, with one on and one out, the fastballer Lindstrom relieved Olsen. Olsen pitched 7.1 innings in long black sleeves. Every couple of minutes JD wondered when Olsen was going to snap from the heat and retaliate for the 3 HBP. He has a long history of snapping. He never did.
With 2 outs Berkman got a borderline call on a 2 strike pitch and eventually walked. Carlos Lee followed with a long fly ball that found a slightly lower gap between the two big score boards in left to bring the score to 6-5.
That was as close as it got. They had a runner on 2nd with 2 outs in the 9th but Munson fouled out.
