Braves 7
Astros 2
WP: J. Reyes (2-2)
LP: M. Albers (4-11)
AP Recap Footer Decked out in one of the franchises best uniforms, the rainbow sleeves, the Astros entered the final weekend of the 2007 season. This weekend is supposed to be a tribute to Craig Biggio, but the game they played was sloppy on both sides and did no one proud.
The first boneheaded move went to the Braves and occurred in the first inning. Their rookie shortstop Yunel Escobar double with one out, the next batter C.Jones banged a high fly off the visitors’ bullpen fence, but Escobar misjudged the ball, went back to the base and tagged up when he didn’t need to and only made it to 3rd on the play.
Teixera got the IBB and Albers escaped the situation by striking out the next two batters. JD had mentioned, when Albers struck out the first batter, that he hadn’t struck out a lot of batters this season, but he “suspects that will change”.
JD is psychic. Albers went 5 innings in this game, struck out 8 but walked 4. The walks got him into trouble but he was able to get some ground balls that should have gotten him out of trouble. They didn’t.
In the 3rd the Braves had the bases loaded and no outs. Albers got the groundball to 3rd, but Biggio, who apparently has been playing with a jammed shoulder and visibly winced on his throws, couldn’t get enough on the turn to complete the dp. Then another grounder to first, Berkman went to 2nd but Loretta couldn’t hit the moving target Albers on the cover and another run scored.
The Astros tied the game in the 4th when Lee singled, stole second and moved around on consecutive singles by Pence and Loretta. However, with one out and Pence on 3rd, Towles popped to short right, Mansolino chose not to test Francoeur’s arm in spite of Albers on deck. Albers K’d.
In the top of the 5th C.Jones was awarded 1st as the 1b ump decided Albers had missed the bag covering 1st. That made Francoeur’s ensuing homerun a two run shot instead of a solo.
Stephen Randolph, who the Astros are giving every opportunity to prove himself a lefthanded option in the bullpen, took the mound in the 6th. Sure he was wild, walking the 2nd batter with one out. But the next batter bounced the ball to 3rd for what should have been an inning ending double play, again Biggio couldn’t make the throw to 1st in time to complete it. And so the inning continued with the Braves scoring 3 more runs.
Astros had a chance in the 7th, Biggio walked to load the bases with 2 outs, but Berkman popped out to left.
Biggio was able to collect a base hit on his first ab. He tipped his trademark helmet, covered his heart, stepped in and swung sharply at the first pitch for a single through the hole to left.
He had another trademark at bat in the 3rd when he K’d waving at a slider low and away.
