Moehler: 5IP, 9H/6ER, 4K:0BB
Byrdak: 1IP, 1K
Wright: 1IP, 2K
Fulchino: 2IP, 2H, 2K
Here's the thing about Moehler: He was perfect the first time through the order. A perfect 9x9. What's more, those first three innings took only 26 pitches. Only one of those nine outs was to the outfield - Nelson Cruz' fly out to left (more on that later). Three pop/fly outs, four groundouts, and two strikeouts - both of those strikeouts on three pitches.
Second time through the order? Not so hot. Rangers 1-9 were 5x8 with a sac bunt the next time around. Nelson Cruz got enough power to get his next two fly balls to left to fly beyond the boundary of the field of play and Hank Blalock followed Cruz' 2nd homer with one of his own to right. 3rd time around? 4x5. So after seeing what Moehler had to offer in the first PA, the Rangers got hits in 9 of their next 13 plate appearances.
| Pitcher | Pit/Str | Strike% | BF/Outs | Efficiency% | GB/FB/K |
| Moehler | 68/50 | 73.5% | 23/15 | 65.2% | 6/4/4 |
| Byrdak | 12/8 | 75% | 3/3 | 100% | 1/1/1 |
| Wright | 16/10 | 62.5% | 3/3 | 100% | 0/1/2 |
| Fulchino | 22/18 | 81.8% | 8/6 | 75% | 3/1/2 |
| Total | 118/86 | 72.9% | 37/27 | 73.0% | 10/7/9 |
Wonder what's killing the bullpen? The starting rotation. The starters are just not going deep into games. So I was curious which pitchers have managed to go 7+ innings?
Wandy: Five times
Roy: Twice
Moehler: Once
Ortiz: None
Hampton: None
Paulino: None
See that? 41 games. Eight starts of 7IP+, and three by pitchers not named "Wandy." That's not good. And of course after a long post of Wright's ineffectiveness, he goes out and throws a perfect inning, striking out two. His ERA is now 7.24.
Feldman pretty much shut down the Astros offense. All three Astros runs came on homers - a solo homer (that was under review for seven minutes) by Tejada and a 2-run shot by Blum, his first of the season. Feldman's first inning went by in six pitches. Tejada, Berkman and Lee all jumping on the first pitch. 42 pitches by the end of the 4th. 82 pitches by the end of the sixth.
Four of the Astros hits came from Tejada and Pence, with Lee and Blum providing the only other offense. Pence also started a nice relay from right to get Omar Vizquel out at home.
Man of the Match:
Jeez. Blum, maybe? Tejada? Pence? How about Geoff Blum - welcome to the HR rolls in 2009.
Goat of the Game:
Brian Moehler. Totally ineffective the second time, and as long as he lasted in the third time, around the order.
