In the first Clemens didn?t have his stuff, neither when throwing to the batter nor throwing over to first. A throwing error, trying to keep Counsell close, instead moved him to third. Clemens couldn?t look at the ball Glaus hit off the visitors bullpen wall and Latka was looking at his foot trying to find the bag, when he should have been looking at the ball on the throw from Pigpen. And I couldn?t look as the Wimpy, ?I?ll Pay You Tuesday For a Ball Club Today? D?Backs took a 3 run lead out of the first.
The Astros roared back in the bottom of the inning, working the rookie Halsey all of 4 pitches before sending Clemens back out to the mound. The Big E barely had time to take off his glove.
It was a short night for Clemens, working 6, his quickest outing of the season so far. He was lifted for the pinch hitter Bruntlett, whose BA is still at the Blutarski line. Didn?t make sense to me neither. Sure lift Clemens, but let him hit.
Halsey mowed through the Astros line up hardly breaking a sweat. The youngster casually flipped the ball up and caught it one handed to amuse himself between batters. Wanted to slap him.
It wasn?t until the 7th that the Astros showed some life. They scratched and squibblered the bases loaded with one out. Ice Cold bounced a grounder to short and was able to out hustle a dp to get a run in. However, Maximus broke a bat grounding out to short to end the inning and his 8 game hitting streak.
In the top the 8th, the always thinking Brad Ausmus used the strike em out, throw the ball into centerfield tactic to put a runner in scoring position, cleverly forcing the Wimpy?s hand and a pinch hitter for Admiral Halsey. 5 errors for the home team in one game. Diabolical.
Again in the 8th, the Astros tried to score some runs. 2 on, no outs, and they got nothin
In the top the 9th, Mr Burns (?I knew this was going too good!?) decided to end the tease and put the game out of reach, Gonzo hit a three run homer and everybody went home.
The Epic Battle for the Silver Boot begins tomorrow vs The Texas Rangers of Arlington, Backe goes against Old Man Rogers.
