Russ Ortiz battled The Queasies and won. (Everyone noticed I said the phrase "gambled on a fart," right?)
Despite a queasy stomach, veteran righthander Russ Ortiz threw five strong innings to remain atop the race for the fifth spot in the Astros’ rotation. “There were certain times when I just had to take more time to take a deep breath and see if it would pass for a little bit,” Ortiz said after giving up one run on five hits with two walks and four strikeouts. “I’d come into the dugout and feel a little better. And then as soon as I finished my warm-up pitches then I’d feel it again.”
And by "seeing if it would pass" I think we can safely assume he actually means "seeing if he would crap his pants on the mound."
It wasn't Jordan's Flu Game, but it may have been enough to seal Ortiz as SP5 as the Astros beat the Cardinals 4-3 after Bourn's RBI single in the top of the 9th sealed the game for the Astros. Pence and Smith went 3x4 and Maysonet went 2x4 to account for eight of the twelve Astros hits. Pudge went deep for the 2nd time in two games (let's hope Berkman's Allotted Stats theory is wrong.
Pitching lines:
Ortiz: 5IP, 5H, 1ER, 2BB, 4K
Geary: 2IP, 3H, 2ER, 1BB
Wright: 1IP, 1W
Fulchino: 1IP, 1S
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
