Labor Day Special: Astros at Scrubs

[OregonStrosFan]

SnS Series Preview (JaneDoe): Astros @ Cubs–Commence Operation: Cub Free Fall
MLB.com Gameday
MLB.com PressPass: Astros Pregame Notes

Good Guys lineup

Erstad, CF
Wigginton, LF
Tejada, SS
Berkman, 1B
Blum, 3B
Spaz, RF
Castillo, 2B
Ausmus, C
Oswalt, P

scrubs lineup

Soriano, LF
Fukudome, RF
D. Lee, 1B
A. Ramirez, 3B
M. DeRosa, 2B
Edmonds, CF
Soto, C
Theriot, SS
Marquis, P

[OregonStrosFan]

Astros and Cubs go 3-up, 3-down in the 1st.  End 1: HOU 0, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

T2: Berkman singles to right, Blum GIDP, Spaz doubles to the alley in left center, Castillo flies out to CF.  Middle 2: HOU 0, CHC 0

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

T2: Berkman singles to right, Blum GIDP, Spaz doubles to the alley in left center, Castillo flies out to CF.  Middle 2: HOU 0, CHC 0

Those GIDPs will kill ya.

[moriartp]

Yo, Coop. Play Bourn.

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 2: Ramirez flew out to CF, DeRosa grounded out to Tejada, Edmonds hit a slow roller to Roy who threw to 1B for the third out. 
End 2: HOU 0, CHC 0

[mihoba]

With the outer bands of Gustav just reaching me, I'm surprised I'm getting the game at all.

35 mph+ north wind and blowing rain here at the lake.

Go 'stros, fuck the Cubs.

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 3: Marquis pitching

Ausmus: strikes out swinging at the high heat (2-2 pitch).  1 out, none on.

Oswalt: High chopper over Marquis head, Theriot gets to the ball on the 2B side of the bag but airmails it to 1B (ruled a hit).  1 out, Roy at 1B.

Erstad: struck out swinging on 3-2 pitch.  2 outs, Roy on 1B.

Wigginton: Pops up to DeRosa in shallow right center.  3 outs.

Middle 3: HOU 0, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 3: Roy pitching

Soto:  Bounces the 1-1 pitch up the middle behind Roy for the single.  None out, runner at 1B.

Theriot: smashes the 1-0 pitch towards 3B, Blum dives left and makes the throw to 2B (1 out), Castillo hurries the throw to 1B and is way off-line (if he'd not hurried the throw, don't think he'd have been able to get Theriot anyway).  1 out, runner at 1B.

Marquis: sacrifice bunt, Roy to Castillo at 1B.  2 outs, runner at 2B.

Soriano: pops up the 0-2 pitch to Castillo in shallow center.  3 outs.

End 3: HOU 0, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

With the outer bands of Gustav just reaching me***

Where are you?

[mihoba]

Where are you?

Sam Rayburn Dam.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Strange triple by Tejada.

[BudGirl]

Is JD saying he wants to be have a larger roster then have healthy scratches?

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 4: Marquis pitching

Tejada: takes the 1-2 pitch high off the ivy in left, ball caroms way back up the 3B line into the Cubs bullpen, Tejada makes it to 3B easily (Soriano overrunning/bobbling the ball and no one there to help him in the scrubs BP area, Tejada may have been able to make it home but for the headfirst slide into 3B - not saying he should have just that he may have).  None out, Tejada at 3B.

Berkman: Walked on 3-1 pitch.  None out, runners at the corners.

Blum: flied out on a rope to shallow center, Tejada tags, Annaheim Jimmy's throw is off line, Berkman able to tag up and 1B and make it to 2B.  HOU 1, CHC 0.  1 out, Berkman at 2B.

Berkman steals 3B on the 1st(?) pitch.  1 out, Berkman at 3B.

Spaz: line shot single into CF on 1-2 pitch, Berkman scores.  HOU 2, CHC 0.  1 out, Spaz at 1B.

Castillo: struck out half-swinging at the 1-2 pitch.  2 outs, Spaz at 1B.

Ausmus: popped up the 2-2 pitch to D. Lee just to the foul side of 1B.  3 outs.

Middle 4: HOU 2, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 4: Roy pitching

Fukudome: slow roller to 2B on the 2-2 pitch.  1 out, none on.

Lee: flied out to right center on the 2-0 pitch (wind blowing out to left today, Spaz may have had a tiny bot of trouble playing it with the wind).  2 outs, none on.

Ramirez: works the 1-2 count to 3-2 in an 11 pitch AB, but flies out to Spaz.  3 outs.

End 4: HOU 2, CHC 0

Through 4: Oswalt 56 pitches (40/16); Marquis 68 pitches (44/24).

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 5: Marquis pitching

Roy: strikes out looking on 1-2 pitch.

Erstad: hard grounder on 0-2 pitch to Ramirez who tries to shorthop it but can't backhand it cleanly (E5).  1 out, Erstad on 1B.

Wigginton: walks on 3-1 pitch.  1 out, Erstad at 2B and Wigginton at 1B.

Tejada: grounds the 3-2 pitch (ball 4?) to 2B, runners advance.  2 outs, runners at 3B and 2B.

Berkman: intentionally walked.  2 outs, bases loaded.

Blum: struck out on a check swing on the 1-2 pitch.  3 outs.

Middle 5: HOU 2, CHC 0

[LonghornCDR]

Thanks for PBP.  Laboring on Labor Day.

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 5: Roy pitching

DeRosa: flied out to Spaz on the track in right on the 0-1 pitch.  1 out, none on.

Edmonds: struck out swinging on the 1-2 fastball on the inner 3rd of the plate.  2 outs, none on.

Soto: grounds the 1-0 pitch up the middle, Tejada ranges way to his left and makes an off balance throw to Berkman for the out (very nice play by Tejada).  3 outs.

End 5: HOU 2, CHC 0

Through 5: Oswalt - 64 pitches (46/18); Marquis - 94 pitches (57/37)

[OregonStrosFan]

Thanks for PBP.  Laboring on Labor Day.

Happy to help, sorry you've gotta labor today...

[mihoba]

Thanks for PBP.  Laboring on Labor Day.

Triple time for me. Woot.

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 6: Marquis pitching

Spaz: struck out looking on 2-2 pitch (looked a tad low from the couch here in Portland...).  1 out, none on.

Castillo: struck out swinging on the 2-2 pitch.  2 outs, none on.

Ausmus: popped out to Edmonds in right-center on the 3-1 pitch.  3 outs.

Middle 6: HOU 2, CHC 0

[Savage]

I am underwhelmed by Castillo.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I am underwhelmed by Castillo.

I'm not saying I've seen enough but I've not seen much.

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 6: Roy pitching

Theriot: bouncer past Roy on the 1-1 pitch, Castillo dives to his right and knocks it down, but not able to track it down and make the throw.  None out, runner at 1B.

Samardzija warming up in the scrubs bullpen.  Astros also have a lefty and a righty warming up with Roy scheduled to bat first in the top of the 7th.[/i]

Fontenot (PH for Marquis): struck out swinging on the 1-2 pitch up-and-in fastball.  1 out, runner at 1B.

Soriano: grounds into the 4-6-3 DP on the 0-1 pitch.  3 outs.

End 6: HOU 2, CHC 0

Though 6 innings: Roy - 73 (53/20); Marquis (final) - 11 (67/44).

[OregonStrosFan]

I am underwhelmed by Castillo.

Inauspicious 1st start at 2B for certain...

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 7: Samardzija (RHP) pitching

Roy: struck out swinging on the 3-2 pitch.  1 out, none on.

Erstad: flew out on a line drive just in front of the track in left.  2 outs, none on.

Wigginton: bouncer back to Samardzija on the 1-0 pitch.  3 outs.

Middle 7: HOU 2, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 7:  Roy pitching

Fukudome: grounded out to Tejada on the 2-2 pitch.

Lee: pokes the 0-2 pitch to Castillo, Castillo waits back on the roller and fires to Berkman in time to make the play.  2 outs, none on.

Ramirez: flied out to Spaz (having to battle the sun out in right quite a bit today) on the 0-1 pitch.  3 outs.

End 7: HOU 2, CHC 0

Through 7: Roy 82 pitches (61/21)

[JimR]

I'm not saying I've seen enough but I've not seen much.

he has hardly played b/c of Newhan. good player in SF.

[JimR]

I am underwhelmed by Castillo.

why? how much has he played?

[Savage]

why? how much has he played?

Why not?  Clearly he has played very little.  I'm not declaring him a waste of a roster spot, just observing that there has been nothing remarkable from either his defense or his plate appearances so far.  Maybe more playing time will alter that perception, maybe not.

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 8: Samardzija (RHP) still on the mound

Tejada: shoots the 1-0 inside fastball to left center for a single.  None out, Tejada at 1B.

Cubs warming up Wuertz in the pen

Berkman: lined the 0-2 pitch to right center, Tejada to 3B.  None out, runners at the corners (Tejada at 3B, Berkman at 1B).

Blum: (Cubs playing at DP depth down by 2 with runners at the corners) throws an 0-2 wild pitch, Tejada scores, Soto's throw to Samardzija was errant, Berkman makes it to 3B.  HOU 3, CHC 0, none out, Berkman at 3B.

Blum (con't): strikes out swinging on the 1-2 pitch.  1 out, Berkman at 3B.

Spaz: walked on 3-2 pitch (reached for a horrible pitch on 2-2 count but managed to just put just enough wood on it to hang on).  1 out, runners at the corners (Berkman at 3B, Spaz at 1B).

Castillo: Broken bat looper to 2B on 3-0 pitch.  2 outs, runners at the corners.

Lou to the bullpen again, Wuertz in to pitch.

Top 8 (2 outs, runners at the corners): HOU 3, CHC 0

[JimR]

Why not?  Clearly he has played very little.  I'm not declaring him a waste of a roster spot, just observing that there has been nothing remarkable from either his defense or his plate appearances so far.  Maybe more playing time will alter that perception, maybe not.

my question is how you can make any sort of judgment based on the lack of playing time he has had?

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 8 (2 outs, runners at the corners): Wuertz

Ausmus: Spaz caught 'stealing' on the 0-2 pitch (tried to hold up before he got tagged but Berkman wasn't running so the slight delay caused didn't make a difference).  3 outs. 

Middle 8: HOU 3, CHC 0

[Savage]

my question is how you can make any sort of judgment based on the lack of playing time he has had?

I'm not making a judgment.  I just said I'm underwhelmed by what little I have seen. 

[Lurch]

You sending out Roy to finish it off?

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 8: Roy pitcing

DeRosa: lined the 2-2 pitch towards the line in right, Spaz gets a good jump on it and makes the diving catch for the out (great play by Spaz in the 'sun field').  1 out, none on.

Edmonds: flied out to Erstad in left center on the 3-1 pitch (Wigginton has his glove against Erstad when he made the catch).    2 outs, none on.

Soto: grounds the 2-2 pitch to Castillo.  3 outs.

End 8: HOu 3, CHC 0

Through 8: Oswalt 99 pitches (71/28)

[OregonStrosFan]

You sending out Roy to finish it off?

If Roy feels like he's got another in him, then let him go for it (given that he's batting in the Top 9, I'd presume Coop will let him).

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

I'm inclined to let Valverde do his job. Roy has done his and did it well.

[OregonStrosFan]

Top 9: Wuertz pitching

Ausmus: grounded out to 2B.  1 out, none on.

Oswalt: struck out looking.  2 outs, none on.

Erstad: grounder back at Wuertz, knocks it down and makes the throw to Lee for the out

Middle 9: HOU 3, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

I'm inclined to let Valverde do his job. Roy has done his and did it well.

2 hits on 99 pitches through 8.  I'd be inclined to let Roy stay in if Roy wanted to stay in...

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Yeah, on second thought, I'd let him pitch the 9th too.

[BudGirl]

rats

[OregonStrosFan]

Theriot: grounds to 0-2 pitch to Tejada.  1 out, none on.

Bottom 9 (one out, none on): HOU 3, CHC 0

[BudGirl]

uh oh

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

In hindsight, I'd go with my closer.

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 9 (one out, none on): Roy pitching

Ward (PH for Wuertz): flaired just out of the reach or Tejada in shallow left.

Bottom 9 (one out, runner on 1B): HOU 3, CHC 0

[OregonStrosFan]

In hindsight, I'd go with my closer.

In hindsight I'd agree...

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 9 (one out, runner on 1B): HOU 3, CHC 0

Soriano: Lined into left out of the reach of a diving Blum.  1 out, runners at 1B and 2B.

Bottom 9 (one out, runners at 1B and 2B): HOU 3, CHC 0

Coop brings in Valverde

[BudGirl]

momma wants a double play

[BudGirl]

hate the cubs and their fans

[BudGirl]

except for that little old lady one.  she doesn't seem like she'd be a puss.

[BudGirl]

close, good running by ward

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 9 (one out, runners at 1B and 2B): Valverde pitching

Fukudome: ball (1-0), called strike (1-1), ball (2-1), liner to left that sliced foul (2-2), fouled left and out of play (2-2), tapper to 3B, Blum throws to 2B for the force (Castillo gets 'taken out' with the slide, but doubt there would have been a play at 1B anyway).  2 outs, runners at the corners.

Bottom 9 (two outs, runners at 1B and 3B): HOU 3, CHC 0

[BizidyDizidy]

Ward's always been one of my favorites.

[BudGirl]

please bbgs.  the cubs deserve to lose a series.

[BudGirl]

thank you.

[Lurch]

fuck the cubs

[mihoba]

Whew, nice win.

[OregonStrosFan]

Bottom 9 (two outs, runners at 1B and 3B): Valverde pitching

D. Lee: ball (1-0), ball (2-0, Fukudome goes to 2B on 'fielders indifference'), fouled a decent heater to hit back (1-2), fouled back (2-2), flied to deep right, Hunter makes the grab at the track.  3 outs!

Ballgame: HOU 3, CHC 0

[BudGirl]

did anyone notice how when cub fans lowered their arms valverde raised his in thanks?

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Wow! that was close.  Fuck the cubs!

[LonghornCDR]

ESPN Gamecast made the out to right look deep.  Was it?

[moriartp]

Nice. Gotta love shutting out the Cubs.

[BudGirl]

it was close to the wall.

[Lurch]

ESPN Gamecast made the out to right look deep.  Was it?

It was.  Maybe 10 feet from the wall

[JimR]

ESPN Gamecast made the out to right look deep.  Was it?

in the well. not close to a homer where it was hit.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

When the ball was first hit I thought, oh shit. Then I saw where Pence was set up to make the catch and knew it was game over.

[JaneDoe]

When the ball was first hit I thought, oh shit. Then I saw where Pence was set up to make the catch and knew it was game over.

I was listening to Milo and thought the Good Guys were toast. 

[pravata]

When the ball was first hit I thought, oh shit. Then I saw where Pence was set up to make the catch and knew it was game over.

If you can't see the flight of the ball, look at the outfielders feet. 

[mihoba]

If you can't see the flight of the ball, look at the outfielders feet. 

But this is Spaz we are talking about.

Back...left...right...front.. got it.

[JaneDoe]

But this is Spaz we are talking about.

Back...left...right...front.. got it.

I thought it was more like, Back...Left...Right...Front...Glass door...Chachacha.   

[pravata]

But this is Spaz we are talking about.

Back...left...right...front.. got it.

homerun, flyout, triple, or bosanova

[jonbloozy]

One of the highlights of yesterday's game was Brownie:  "Well the Cubs fans are, as usual, loaded . . . with enthusiasm."

[MRaup]

One of the highlights of yesterday's game was Brownie:  "Well the Cubs fans are, as usual, loaded . . . with enthusiasm."

The best highlight, at least on WGN, were the unwashed Cubs masses crying yard as loud as humanly possible when Lee hit that ball. They showed a replay of some dumb broad jumping up and down like a Kansas City Faggot for a good 20 seconds before Pence hauled it in short of the wall.