If that had been a playoff game...
Blown chances in the top the first, single, fc, single, fc, groundout. Backe didn't have his good control in the first, or ever really. Got in a real jam with runners 1st and 2nd, 1 out, Cathead, JD says, (the windup) "he needs" (the pitch, batter swings) "an at-(topper to the mound Backe pounces wheels to 2nd, Everett to first) -em" fade to commercial JD and Brownie giggling.
In the 3rd, the Trout, Flounder, Koi, the pitcher, doubles. Backe threw him a bp fastball and he clobbered it. Ensberg sails the throw on an easy sac bunt that pulled Biggio off the bag, moving Scrod to 3rd, Edmonds sac flies him home. 1-0 Co-s.
Didn't last. Bottom 3, with Ensberg on first, Berkman grounds to Pujols, whips around and throws to 2nd, hitting Mo square in the funny bone. 2 on no outs, Lane grounds up the middle, Eckstein knocks it down but can't get Ensberg, scoring from second on the weak ass throw. 1-1.
In the 4th, Backe's fastball, apparently isn't of a quality to beat Reggie Sanders, he homers. 2-1
No matter, top the 5th, 2 outs, lots of stuff happened with 2 outs in this game, Ensberg big swinging pops a can of corn to left. Sanders fooled by the swing, comes in late, then lollygags, cadillacs, and fancy pants the out into a single. No harm done. Except Berkman then Lamb with a bomb goes back to back off the Minnow. 4-2 Astros.
The bottom of the inning took a turn. Backe was long gone by the time Sanders turned on Stricklands fastball, also not of Oswalts' quality, 6-4.
In the 6th, with one out, Ausmus strikes out, but Molina fails to block the slider, and Brad gains first. Luke Scott rips a pinch hit double down the 1b line, Mensa wisely holding Brad at 3d. Bidge comes through with the sac fly. To top it off, Speedy wacks a broken bat ToB dropping it over Gz and in front of Edmonds, making it 6 to 6 in the 6th. That's when things got wierd.
In the top the 7th, with 2 outs and a runner on 1st, Maximus hit a deep fly to left center, Jim Freakin Edmonds ran the thing down at the wall saving the tie.
For the Astros, Springer and Qualls came in and calmed things the hell down. Getting the game to the 9th, still tied 6-6.
The Tank Commander, managing like mad, brings in Isringhausen. Willy beats out a grounder to 3rd, Mo rips the double, and Taveras, in a breath taking dead sprint scores the go ahead run. The Cardinals had no chance to stop him.
Lidge comes in and similarly overmatches Taguchi, Eckstein, and it was academic whether Edmonds was going to whif or turn over on the slider away. He turned over.
Come home. Wandy gets the first game v. the Cubs, magic number is 2.
