Home plate umpire Bob Davidson's strike zone could best be described as a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma encased in a solid block of whale shit. This was apparent from the very first inning. Wide strikes, right down the middle balls, Williams and Oswalt were mostly just guessing, as were the hitters. Horrible game to watch.
The first time Mr Davidson's ineptitude affected the game though was in the 3rd, when he missed a called strike three to Roberts. Roberts doubled the next pitch and scored on Giles' single. Then a liner to right scored Randa as Lane's throw was on time but too far up the 3b line for a play.
But the Astros came back immediately. Lane took advantage of the Dog Park's spacious dimensions and swept a Williams fastball to right center for a triple. Burke followed with a double, but only after fouling off several good pitches and several questionable pitches that probably would have been called strikes. A nice at bat. Everett then hit a roller to the right side that clanged off Nady and eluded Loretta who was moving in the wrong direction. Burke got the hustle run from second. Ausmus hit a solid single through the hole and Taveras contributed a ToB to score another run. 5 hit barrage and the Astros were up 3-2.
Damian Jackson, looking to start something for the Padres in the bottom of the 4th inning, hit a grass cutter to Everett's right. Everett backhanded the ball and threw the speedy Jackson out from 2 steps into left. Nice first out to give Roy some momentum. Not the kind of play that makes ESPN, he made it look too easy.
The next big play, and the turning point of the game, came in the 6th. Two on, no outs, Oswalt and Xavier Nady locked up in an 11 pitch duel that ended with Nady looking at one of Roy's 62 mph curve balls. He hasn't been using that pitch and didn't show it much this game. He pulled that one out of his hat. The inning ended with the bases loaded and Frick grounding out, but the curve ball was the pitch of the inning.
Berkman hit a 2 run line drive homerun in the 7th that made a sound like a tree limb snapping in two. He also doubled home Biggio for an insurance run in the 9th. I was sleeping when he made the lying down catch. I'm sure I'll see that one on ESPN though.
Qualls, Wheeler, and Springer negotiated the Rube Goldberg strike zone and kept the Padres hitless through the final 3.
Clemens v Peavy, 9:05 Houston time.
