Top of the first, Biggio hit a high fly that hung up in the gap in left. Sanders and Edmonds, less so Edmonds, charge for the ball; on the close up of Sanders he?s not calling for the ball, probably not Edmonds either. Sanders manages to catch the ball but Edmonds, not paying attention to anything, arm tackles him as he?s still running for the ball. Sanders goes down hard on his ankle and medics come running out. 7 minutes it takes Sanders to make his way to the right field exit. The ballpark is hushed.
Such the drama.
The actual game resumes and in the bottom of the 1st Pettitte finds himself facing runners 2nd and 3rd and no outs. Pujols hits a sharp grounder to Ensberg who throws home, Ausmus catches the ball in the basepath with one hand, steps aside, and veronica tags Eckstein as he slides by. Then Cathead shoots a hopper up the middle, Hollywood Jim, thinking, ?no way he catches that one, right?? and he tries the no-look cruise into home and gets caught in the traditional 6-3-2-5 doubleplay. And still Jim has an expression on his face as if he?s trying to understand Kabuki theater.
Rolen came up in the 2nd inning, rested, after taking the advice of his doctors and manager and the farcical implications of an All-Star thirdbaseman hitting .251. He looks like a man who is hurt. On the same topic, JD relayed that Doug Mansolino thinks Adam Everett will get a Gold Glove soon if he just starts hitting more.
But back to the game, such as it was, Alphabet knocked a homerun to left, Burke climbs the wall even though it went a deck up. But in general, Pettitte was cruising. He looked very good against what can only be described as possibly the gimpiest and least interested 1st place team ever.
In the 5th, the Astros put together a rally. Mr Peepers beats out a squibbler, Poohole drops Officer Brad?s post pattern to the right field line, then Speed beats another squibbler. Bases loaded, 2 outs Pigpen up. Mulder throws a wild pitch that bounces in the dirt that score Peepers. Gazoo walks, Elvis flies out.
Pettitte was done after 7. He looked very good, more walks and flyballs than he usually gives up. Ball was up some, and there is the very real question of why he ever swings the bat.
In the 8th, with one out, the Astros got 2 walks to start their version of a rally. Berkman at 2nd, Ensberg on 1st, Lane the hitter.
It?s up to Jason. Mulder was very gettable. But by the time the guy who could get him got up he didn?t have anything to get him with.
Lane is currently pulling off with his left shoulder, which is the sure sign of the difference between a .220 and a .270 hitter.
Qualls comes in the bottom of the 8th and first pitch gives up a towering homerun to Einar Diaz. Einar Diaz. 2-1 Cardinals and in comes Isringhausen for the 9th.
Orlando Palmeiro greets him with a ringing double to right center. Ausmus sacs him over and the pinch hitter Lamb sac fly to left ties the game.
It would remain that way until the 13th. Along the way, we witnessed Scott Rolen trying to bunt for a hit, the anticipated confrontation of Tavarez v. Taveras, Maximus getting drilled right between the E and the V and proving he could stay in the game by trotting up the first base line for Rex Jones.
The 13th, OP walks, College Boy sacs him to 2nd, Clank singles him home. The Astros scrap for a 3-2 lead.
Bottom of the 13th Pujols hits a two run homer off a foolish Harville and everybody goes wild. Such drama.
Today, Oswalt vs. Marquis 3:15 central.
