The Astros have won 19 of their last 30 games and, with a Brewers loss in 10 today to the Cubs, have cut their deficit to three games (three games!) The Giants are 42-36, 7.5 back of the Dodgers, and just wrapped up a 10-game roadtrip in which they went 5-5
Felipe Paulino
The Astros send SP6 Felipe Paulino to the mound for the first game in a three-game set. In his last start vs. Detroit - and his first from coming off the DL - Paulino went 7IP, 3H/1ER, 9K:0BB, lowering his ERA from 6.18 to 5.51, and getting 33 non-contact strikes. We'll save the splits for him until his next time around in the rotation. But it is interesting to note that Paulino only ran the count to three balls four times (one of those was the solo HR to Ramon Santiago in the 3rd), and leadoff batters were 0x7 off Paulino.
Ryan Sadowski
The Big Sadowski gets the ball tonight for the second time in his career. Sadowski is 1-0 with an 0.00 ERA. In his only start @ Milwaukee, Sadowski was 6IP, 4H/0ER, 2K:3BB in a 7-0 win for the Giants. He got two inning-ending groundball outs, which makes sense, as in the Brewers win, he got 13 groundball outs to five flyball outs in 85 pitches.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
