Recap - Game 4, Houston @ St. Louis

Well, that wasn't much fun. Pence batted 2nd, Pudge 7th. Hampton threw way too many pitches, and the Astros didn't get enough runs for the baserunners they had. So let's work the formula:

Too many pitches + too few runs = L.

What did I say? Jump on Pineiro on the first pitch, and be aggressive! What happened on the first pitch?

1st inning:
Matsui: Ball
Pence: Called strike
Berkman: Called strike

2nd inning:
Lee: Called strike
Tejada: Ball
Blum: Ball
Pudge: First pitch, unassisted double play (so it didn't work, but he was the first to at least give it a shot)

3rd inning:
Bourn: Ball
Hampton: Ground out
Matsui: Called strike
Pence: Foul

4th inning:
Berkman: Ground out
Lee: Called strike
Tejada: Foul

5th inning:
Blum: Called strike
Pudge: Called strike
Bourn: Ball

6th inning:
Smith: Ball
Matsui: Ball
Pence: Foul
Berkman: Ball
Lee: Ball

7th inning:
Tejada: Called strike
Blum: Double
Pudge: Foul
Bourn: Called strike

So, on 26 first pitches, nine were taken for called strikes, nine were taken for balls, seven were swinging - three for groundouts and three for fouls, and only one for a hit. That was the line on Pineiro, 14 ground outs, 3 fly outs. The Astros left 8 baserunners before using up their allotted outs for the inning. Carlos Lee busted out, a couple of days late (but show up to Spring Training on time, and maybe you start with everyone else!), going 3-for-4 with a homer to make the game 4-3.

Hampton showed just about every pitch he had to Skip Schumaker in the bottom of the 1st, by throwing a changeup, slider, cutter, and curve. In fact, it wasn't until the 16th pitch of the game that Hampton threw his fastball - which topped out at 90.

Hampton
5IP, 4H, 3ER, 4BB, 5K; 92 pitches/53 for strikes (57.6%)
24 batters faced - 15 outs (62.5%), 3.83 pitches per batter, 6gb/4fb

Geoff Geary
1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER; 16p/10s (62.5%)
5bf/3o (60%), 1gb/2fb

Brocail
1IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB; 24p/8s (33.3%)
6bf/3o (50%), 2gb/1fb

Byrdak
1IP, 1K; 15p/9s (62.5%)
3bf/3o (100%), 1gb/1fb

Man of the Match:
Carlos Lee. Welcome to 2009. 3x4 with a homer in the 8th.

Goat of the Game:
Tough call between Hampton and Brocail, but I'm going to give it to Hampton. Too many balls, a lollygag play that allowed Pujols to score in the 3rd.