Andy Pettitte was as out of whack today as the radar gun at Tammy Faye Park. 55 mph fastball? Not likely.
The Astros got a lead in the 2nd inning when Jason Lane got the green light on the 3-0 gimme fastball and homered to left. Preston Wilson also scored on the homer, having singled in the previous at bat. Both Wilson and Lane are beginning to crawl out of their early hitting slumps.
But that was the second to last pitch Adam Harang threw over the middle of the plate this game.
Pettitte unraveled in the 4th. With one out he walked Dunn and Kearns. Then he hung a two strike pitch to Encarnacion that he lined just over the reach of Wilson. The double scored one. The real damage came when Brandon Phillips chopped a squibbler on a 2 strike pitch that Pasadena pounced on, spun, and threw over the head of Berkman.
Two runs scored and Phillips was temporarily thrown out, for what would have been the second out of the inning, trying to advance to second. However, according to the umpires, there was some mishigosh involved and they sent Phillips back to first. Garner came out to question but didn?t argue, yet to find out what that was about.
Pasadena is now really staring in at Ausmus and taking a long time between pitches. Trying to keep Phillips at first. He strikes out Mumbly LaRue (would be 3rd out) but Harang bloops a single to center. Phillips advances to 2nd, then steals third. On ball 4 to the batter Freel, the ball bounces and nicks off the top of Ausmus? glove. Phillips runs home. The score is 4-2 and the Astros may have another Pissant in the making in Phillips.
In the 5th the Reds extended the lead in a more conventional manner, but still due to Andy?s lack of control. Aurilia, sitting on the cutter, homers to deep center, with runners 1st and 3rd, Ensberg fields a grounder down the line and tries a 6-4-3 dp. The 4 part worked but the 3 part failed and another runner scored. It?s 6-2.
In the 6th Biggio doubles Harang?s second pitch of the game that wasn?t trimming either corner, but he is doubled up himself when LaRue pounces on Taveras?s pop up bunt and catches Biggio off the base. Actually, standing on 3rd.
In the 8th with 2 out and one on the Reds lifted Harang for Mercker to turn Berkman around. Berkman singled home Burke. 6-3. Then Ensberg doubles. Runners 2nd and 3rd, Garner sends in Lamb for the pitchers spot, now the 5 hitter. Bruntlett was his right handed option. Lamb hit a scary fly to right that hooked foul. Then he flew out to left center.
Weathers closed out the 9th, his 8th save on the season.
Tomorrow, Taylor Buchholz attempts to avoid the sweep vs. Elizardo Ramirez. Games at noon.
