Astros 5, Cubs 2
W: Woody Williams (6-12) | L: Sean Marshall (5-6) | S: Brad Lidge (7)
HRs: Jason Lane (7), Matt Murton (2)
Astros.com DuBose wrap
AP recap
First inning, here we go again. Woody started with a walk, a single, and two more walks to force in a run with no outs. Houdini then appeared, and after a strikeout, a pop-up, and a liner to right, only one run had scored. Woody settled down a baffled the Cubbies for 5 more innings, including retiring 10 in a row before leaving for a pinch hitter with the score tied 1-1 in the 6th.
The Astros finally got the the lefty Marshall soon after. Brad Ausmus muscled up and powered a deep fly into the well in left center for a double. Pinch hitter Chris Burke did his job and bunted Ausmus to third, followed by an RBI single by Craig Biggio through a drawn-in infield to break the tie. Mark Loretta then hit a swinging bunt that traveled about 45 feet up the third base line, and pitcher Marshall elected to watch it roll. It came to rest right on the chalk for an infield single with Biggio taking second. Lance Berkman followed by punching a single to right that scored Biggio after he decided not to slide and instead side-stepped the tag. 3-1 Astros and Marshall hit the showers in favor of the slimmed down Kerry Wood. Carlos Lee greeted him with a liner off the visitor’s bullpen fence for an RBI double, and Ty Wigginton followed with another roller (also with the infield in) up the middle for the 5th Astro run.
Dave Borkowski allowed a solo shot in the 7th, but Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge dominated the 8th and 9th to close this one out, ensuring a series victory.
Jason Lane had a solo shot in the 2nd to tie the game.
Carlos Zambrano is on the hill for the baby bears tonight.
GZ thread