That's a 2-0 win. And this is a template for what you'll see here during the Regular Season. What do you think?
Brian Moehler:
5IP, 2H, 0ER. 71 pitches, 44 were for strikes (62.0%). 7 ground-outs, 3 fly-outs, 5 Ks.
Fastball touched 88, also mixed in an 86mph slider, a 75mph curve and a 77mph changeup.
Saith Moehler: “I feel good, so that’s what I’m concerned about, getting work in,” he said. “It’s spring training, so you take it for what it’s worth. You prepare for the season. I used all my pitches and tried to build for my confidence going into Wednesday.”
Lefty (Wesley) Wright: 6th inning
1IP, 1H. 17 pitches/10 strikes (58.8%). 1go/2fo.
Lefty Wright's fastball hit 91mph with a 79mph slider in there, too.
Geary: 7th inning
1IP, 1H. 12p/7s (58.3%). 3go/0fo
Geary had a 91mph fastball and a 79mph curveball
LaHawk: 8th inning
1IP, 0H, 1K. 7p/6s (85.7%). 1go/1fo/1K
LaHawk's fastball hit 94mph with an 87mph slider.
Valverde: 9th inning
1IP, 1H. 15p/10s (66.7%). 1go/2fo
Valverde threw 15 fastballs, from 93-96mph.
I'm concerned by Valverde's 15 pitch inning, but what are you gonna do? It's the first time he's pitched the ninth inning since September.
Interesting lineup:
Matsui, Pudge, Berkman, Lee, Tejada, Blum, Pence, Bourn, Moehler...
Offensively, there's not much to report. Pence's 1st-pitch single in the 2nd scored Lee and Tejada, and that's all the scoring. Berkman's double was the only extra-base hit of the seven the Astros recorded. Bourn reached on a bunt single in the 7th. Jason Michaels drew a 7-pitch pinch-hit walk in the 8th.
Six strikeouts on the home side: 2 from Moehler, 2 from Matsui (one on four straight sliders), 2 from Pudge (one a three-pitch K).
Man of the Match: Brian Moehler, 5IP, 0R, 2H, 5K
Goat of the Game: Kaz Matsui, 0x4, 2Ks
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
