So that?s Jason Hirsh. After figuring out that Announcing His Presence With Authority isn?t going to work; took him one batter, a high fastball that Corey Hart smacked out of the ball park, he also may have yelled at Jason to get new shower shoes as he rounded 2nd, Hirsh found his slider. He used it to good effect. Polishing off 5 strikeouts with the pitch. However, the Brewers weren?t topping it. There was only 1 groundball and 10 flyouts. That would have been dangerous at a home game.
Other than the homer, Hirsh?s control got him into some trouble. With the score 1-1, he walked the first batter in the 4th. Then, two wild pitches put the runner on 3rd and a 2 out single scored the run. In the 6th, Hirsh walked 2 to load the bases.
Let me just pause here and say something about people in the stands thinking they are part of the game. If I?m at a game and someone sticks their glove into the playing field and interferes with the ball, I?m going down there and asking him for my money back. No one pays to see your self absorbed, attention starved, doughy mug do anything.
Back to the game; with one out and the bases loaded, Hirsh exits for Qualls. Qualls, looking for the grounder pours in the sliders. Not giving in, he walks in a run but gets the broken bat roller for the 6-3 inning ending dp. The score is 5-3.
Here?s how the Astros got 5. Luke Scott doubled and moved Berkman over to 3rd in the 2nd. Huff sac flied him home. In the 4th, Huff hit a significantly longer fly that left the field in dead center.
Let me pause here and say something about the at bat directly in front of Huff?s homer. With one out, Luke Scott swung at a wild pitch strike 3. He trotted down the 1b line and was thrown out by a step. As he came into the dugout Garner pulled him aside and explained to him that he has to run hard on every play. As Garner turns away, Scott passes behind him and is eyeballing Garner. If ever I stop watching the Astros it wont be because of losing. It will be because of this kind of crap. ?My Name is Earl? was on the other channel. I could have watched that.
So when Huff homers, the extra run was steaming on the bench.
Directly following in the 5th, Mike Lamb singled home Taveras from 2nd. With 2 on and 2 out, Scott lines a gapper to right center. The runs score and Scott, trying to atone for one bone headed play, almost makes another, the old rule about making the 3rd out at 3rd, he just beat the throw for the triple. That?s how the score was 5-2 going into the 6th.
Qualls cleaned up the 6th, got some groundballs and woke up the infield in the 7th; everyone contributing some snappy glove work including Burke in for Biggio. Berkman provided a little more cushion with a 2 run homer in the 8th. Trever Miller and Dot Wheeler finished out the game to give the rookie Jason The Stopper Hirsh his first Big League win.
Brandon Backe looks to extend the win streak tomorrow at 7 CDT.
