Moehler was pretty bad, lasting just three innings. Backe did a little better, lasting three innings, and then the third third of the game (get it?), Arias and Byrdak were the only ones able to stop the Cubs offense.
Moehler: 3IP, 8H/5ER, 3K:2BB
Backe: 3IP, 6H/2ER, 4K:3BB
Arias: 2IP, 1H, 1K:1BB
Byrdak: 1IP, 1H, 1K:2BB
The three lead-off batters Moehler faced were as such:
Soriano: Doubled to left
Lilly: Tripled to right center (that's right. The pitcher.)
Fontenot: Homered to left
Three lead-off batters, three extra-base hits. Backe entered in the 4th inning, got Soriano and Theriot to strike out, then with Lee on 2nd and Fukudome on 3rd, got Bradley to foul out to first. Problem with Backe is that he had runners in scoring position in each inning, loading the bases in the 5th, and allowing a two-out, two-run double in the 6th.
| Pitcher | Pit/Str | Strike% | BF/Outs | Efficiency% | GB/FB/K |
| Moehler | 70/41 | 58.6% | 18/9 | 50% | 4/1/3 |
| Backe | 68/41 | 60.3% | 18/9 | 50% | 1/4/4 |
| Arias | 33/19 | 57.6% | 8/6 | 75% | 3/2/1 |
| Byrdak | 24/10 | 41.7% | 6/3 | 50% | 1/1/1 |
| Total | 195/111 | 56.9% | 52/27 | 51.9% | 9/8/9 |
Offense was pretty bad, too. The Astros didn't get on the board until Lance's 9th inning (and career #299) home run. Berkman and Tejada accounted for four of the Astros' five hits, with Pence getting the other hit. Tejada is now hitting .380. Matt Kata did enjoy an 11-pitch pinch-hit AB, one more pitch than Maysonet saw in all three of his ABs.
Man of the Match:
Lance Berkman. Career homer #299.
Goat of the Game:
Brian Moehler. The Astros had a chance to build on a nice little run in their last ten games, and got flat-out embarrassed. By the time Moehler left the game, it was 5-0. Moehler's ERA over his last two starts? 9.00.
