The Astros and Brewers put on a wild show in Monday's series opener, featuring four lead changes. It also featured another dramatic comeback by the home team. One day removed from putting up an eight-run inning against the DBacks on Sunday, the Good Guys dropped a 5-spot on the Brewers in the bottom of the 7th inning to reclaim the lead and eventually lift them to victory 8-7. With the win, the Astros improved to 9-4 on the season and possess the second best record in the National League.
Taylor Buchholz, making his first major league start, pitched pretty well and really made only two mistakes. Unfortunately, both came in the form of taters, the first of which Carlos Lee launched in the top of the 2nd to make it 1-0 Brewers. However, the Astros scratched out a couple in the bottom of the 2nd, on an RBI single by Adam Everett and an RBI groundout by Craig Biggio.
With 1 out in the 6th, J.J. Hardy hit a grounder to third, but a throwing error by Morgan Ensberg allowed him to reach first. Geoff Jenkins followed with a longball of his own, putting the Brewers back on top 3-2. After Lee walked, Buchholz got out of the inning with a 6-3 double play. In the bottom of the 6th, MoBerg led off the inning with a homer to left field to tie the score.
Chad Qualls took over for Buchholz in the 7th and quickly exploded, walking Richie Weeks, plunking Chad Moeller, and then serving up a meatball for pinch-hitter Gabe Gross. After walking Brady Clark and striking out Hardy, he was sent to the showers. Trever Miller continued to suck, having been brought in to face Jenkins and giving him a free pass as well. Miller was pulled, and Zeke Astacio got out of the inning with two pitches.
Bidge hit a double to get things rolling in the 7th, and Willy Taveras got on base on an error by third baseman Koskie. Lance Berkman and Ensberg then each drove in runs with back-to-back RBI singles to center to cut the Brewers' lead to 6-5. Two batters later, Jason Lane blasted off Matt Wise with a towering shot to the Crawford Boxes, completing the five-run rally and putting Houston back on top.
Milwaukee got another run off Dan Wheeler in the 8th, but that's all they could get. Brad Lidge allowed only a single to Jenkins in the 9th, earning his 4th save.
Willy T extended his hitting streak to ten games, and nearly made a great diving play in the 8th. He caught a sinking liner off Koskie's bat in shallow center, but the ball popped out of his glove as he landed. Lane, in addition to his game-winning poke, also made the defensive highlight reel, making a nice sliding catch of a looping liner by Moeller in right-center in the 8th. Berkman and Ensberg continue to have monster games, hitting a combined .500 with 4 bombs and 13 RBI in the last four games.
And, last but not least, history was made tonight as Preston Wilson had the most awesome day of anybody in baseball, going 0x5 and pulling off the rare platinum sombrero. His five punchouts set an Astros record and tied the MLB record for strikeouts in a single nine-inning game. Props to you, Rainman, for coming through in the clutch with two outs in the 8th and not settling for only four ponche's. Somebody get him a game ball.
Roy Oswalt will pitch against Doug Davis Tuesday night at 7:05pm CDT. TV coverage will be provided by FSN.
