Andy Pettitte stood up. Pressed into an emergency, must win start on Saturday, Lefty went 7 innings, the first 4 of those no hit innings, struck out 7 and allowed one run.
Originally he was scheduled to start Sunday. He had had a cortisone shot in his elbow on Sept. 13 and had said previously, that if the situation were different he wouldn?t make that start.
But, given that the Astros had fallen in the first game of the series, 4-1, they had no choice.
The scoring was sparse until the 9th. Berkman knocked a shot in the 1st that was only stopped by a brick wall bearing a sign that said ?459? feet.
Luke Scott provided some defensive support in the 2nd tracking down AJones? drive to the wall. He caught the ball on the run and banged into the wall, bounced off and fell to the ground, hanging on to the ball. For some reason the Atl started the Chop at this point. Possibly saluting a fellow fallen brave.
Mike Lamb continued to feature his barehanded moves, ranging to his left to scoop a roller that ended the 5th.
Aubrey Huff advanced the lead in the 6th with a solo homerun.
Meanwhile Pettitte was moving quickly through the Braves hitters. My favorite atbat was in the 4th. With 2 outs Renteria came to bat. Before stepping in he fidgeted, scratched around, trying to interrupt Andy?s tempo. The entire time he?s doing these shenanigans, Pettitte is standing stock still on the mound; glove up to his face. He didn?t twitch until the batter stepped in.
TMiller came in for the 8th and promptly gave up the lead, surrendering a homer to the first batter of the inning.
The Astros started scoring again in the top of the 9th.
An error put Ausmus on first. Then the pinch hitter Burke, trying to sacrifice, beat out the bunt down the 3b line. Brad Ausmus was moving on the pitch and went 1st to 3rd on the play.
Palmeiro followed with a pinch hit single to score the first run. Then Edgar Renteria began to display his comedic stylings at short. With runners 1st and 3rd, no outs, ground ball to second, the flip to Renteria for one, then he comes off the bag, checking the runner at 3rd. Passing up the sure quick dp. Then Berkman grounds to short, Renteria moved to his right, picked it, and then sailed the throw to 2nd into right field. 2 runs scored, making it 5-2.
Brad Lidge came on for the 9th. A single and 2 ground outs moved a runner to 3rd with 2 outs. Garner came and got him, putting in Wheeler to face the lefthanders coming up next. Lidge was pissed. He stalked off the mound with his glove in front of his face. Then sat motionless on the bench. Wheeler, meanwhile, gave up 2 singles that scored 2 runs, making the score 5-4 before striking out LaRouche. I don't remember hearing the Chop in the 9th.
12:05 Sunday.
