Oswalt: 6.1IP, 10H/3ER, 7K:1BB
Fulchino: 0IP, 0H/1ER
Byrdak: 0IP, 1H/0ER
Sampson: .2IP, 1H, 1BB
Wright: .1IP, 1H, 1K
Arias: .2IP, 1K
LaHawk: 1IP, 2K
Another homerless outing for Oswalt, which is encouraging, and of the 10 hits he gave up, just two were for extra bases. Also encouraging were Oswalt's 32 non-contact strikes, so his stuff is getting sharper.
| Pitcher | Pit/Str | Strike% | BF/Outs | Efficiency% | GB/FB/K |
| Oswalt | 106/77 | 72.6% | 29/19 | 65.5% | 7/5/7 |
| Fulchino | 3/1 | 33.3% | 1/0 | 0% | 0/0/0 |
| Byrdak | 5/3 | 60% | 1/0 | 0% | 0/0/0 |
| Sampson | 12/6 | 50% | 4/2 | 50% | 1/1/0 |
| Wright | 10/7 | 70% | 2/1 | 50% | 1/0/1 |
| Arias | 4/4 | 100% | 2/2 | 100% | 1/0/1 |
| LaHawk | 15/10 | 66.7% | 3/3 | 100% | 1/0/2 |
| Total | 155/108 | 69.7% | 42/27 | 64.3% | 10/6/11 |
What happened in the 7th? Reliever Carousel! Oswalt started off Iribarren with a K, Counsell singled, then Oswalt walked Hardy.
Fulchino comes in to face Braun - hits him to load the bases
Byrdak comes in to face Fielder, and promptly gives up a 2-run single
Sampson came in for Byrdak, got Cameron to pop out, gave up an RBI double to Hart, intentionally walked Mat Gamel, and got Kendall to ground into a fielder's choice.
So everybody combined to nut this game.
Hunter Pence hit a two-run homer in the second and Miguel Tejada hit a solo homer to account for all the runs. Pence's homer was on a 3-1 count; Tejada's count was full.
Oh yeah, and Coop and Berkman got ejected after being called out at home on Pence's single. Berkman was safe, and that's the difference in a 1-run game.
Crew chief Mike Reilly said this was the reason:
"Berkman was ejected for the manor in which he argued the play with the throwing of the helmet, and Cecil was ejected for the same reason."
Among the more curiouser incidents of the evening was in the 6th when, with Tejada on second and Blum on first, Pudge bunted foul twice before grounding into a double play. The only reason I can think of this - and remember, I was moving furniture last night, so I haven't seen any highlights - is that the Astros were playing for a pinch-hitter there. Pudge didn't get it done, Oswalt batted, and pitched to three batters in the 7th. Your thoughts or reactions?
Man of the Match:
Hunter Pence. Big 2-run shot with another single, and he is now hitting .347.
Goat of the Game:
Jeff Keppinger. 0x5 with 5 LOB.
