And that's how you let the other team steal a win. And how you blow four games over .500, to fall one under. The Astros had the lead three times, and then let it get away with two runs in the bottom of the 8th. Matt Holliday was 4x4 and is now hitting .586 since coming over from Oakland, and Alberto Arias gets the loss. Wanna know who got the win in a 4-3 loss? You won't like it. Trever Miller. Uh-huh.
Let's do the thing:
Moehler: 6.2IP, 7H/2ER, 5K:1BB, 17/27 first-pitch strikes, 23/66 non-contact strikes (13 called:10 swinging). And welcome to the sub-5.00 ERA, Brian Moehler.
Wright: 0.1IP, 1H, 1/1 FPS, 0 NCS (1 pitch, 1 hit)
Arias: 1IP, 2H/2ER, 1K:1BB, 3/6 FPS, 3/10 NCS (1c:2s)
That blows. Moehler went toe-to-toe with Mitchell Boggs (did I really just write that?), and was not rewarded.
Offensively - jeez. 1-4 (Bourn, Matsui, Tejada, Lee) were a combined 7x18 with a walk, but the Astros didn't get anything after that, except a pinch-hit RBI from Matt Kata. 5-8 were 2x12 with four walks - three of them coming from Hunter Pence in a rare display of untapped patience. They were 2x9 with RISP, with a hits from Tejada and Kata. Boggs struggled with the pitch count, throwing 99 pitches to get 15 outs, walking five and giving up six hits. But could the Astros do anything with it? Nooooo...
Wife-slamming Julio Lugo scored the first run for the Cards, and didn't score another one until DeRosa hit another home run in the bottom of the 7th. Poor, dehydrated Wesley Wright gave up a first-pitch hit to Skip Schumaker, but Jason LaRue was thrown out at home for an inning-ending outfield assist. And the Astros took the lead on Kata's run-scoring single, scoring Pudge. Arias came in and hit Pujols, gave up a double to Holliday - who advanced to third on a wild pitch. He intentionally walked Ludwick, and then Ankiel scored Holliday for the final score of 4-3.
The Astros had a chance in the top of the 9th with Matsui singling to right. Then Tejada popped out to third and Lee grounded into an FC, getting Matsui at second. Blum grounded out to end the game. Pence was on base three times, and couldn't get home as the Astros left 11 on base to end innings.
Man of the Match: Should be Moehler, but I'm giving it to Matt Kata. 1st pitch, being aggressive, got an RBI single for a go-ahead run.
Goat of the Game: Alberto Arias. Bad time to have a bad game.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
