The Troof had his first real bad inning in his short tenure with the Astros today in a 7-5 loss to Arizona, snapping a four-game winning streak. Let's do the thing:
Norris: 1IP, 6H/6ER, 1K:3BB, 10/12 first-pitch strikes, 16/32 non-contact strikes (11 called:5 swinging)
Paulino: 4IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:0BB, 7/13 FPS, 18/35 NCS (11c:7s)
Arias: 1IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:0BB, 2/5 FPS, 5/11 NCS (5c)
Fulchino: 1.2IP, 4H/1ER, 1K:1BB, 5/9 FPS, 8/19 NCS (3c:5s)
Byrdak: 0.1IP, 1BB, 1/2 FPS, 2/4 NCS (2c)
Gervacio: 1IP, 3/3 FPS, 4/7 NCS (4c)
This turned into a bullpen game real quick, after The Troof needed 55 pitches to get three outs, allowing nine baserunners in his brief time on the mound. Let's take a look at that first inning:
Oeltjen: 5-pitch groundout to 2B
Roberts: 4-pitch double to CF
Tracy: 6-pitch single to LF
Montero: 4-pitch single to LF (scores Roberts)
Allen: 5-pitch strikeout swinging
Parra: 5-pitch walk (PB by Q gets Tracy to 3B, Montero to 2B)
Romero: 7-pitch walk (Tracy scores)
Ojeda: 4-pitch singles to CF (scores Montero and Parra)
Garland: 1st pitch single to CF (scores Romero)
Oeltjen: 5-pitch groundout to 2B
Mm. 1st time through the order, Norris allowed 5x9 with 2BB. 2nd time? 0x1!
Anyhow, I was really impressed with the bullpen - 8IP, 8H/1ER, 6K:2BB. Give it up to Paulino, who cooled the Diamond-Bs offense off with 4IP, 0ER. Gervacio has lowered his ERA to 1.42, needing 8 pitches to close out the 9th - throwing seven for strikes.
Offensively, the Astros got 13 hits, including seven extra-base hits (five doubles, two homers). Quintero clocked in with a double and a homer. Also recording two hits were Bourn, Tejada, Berkman, and Matsui. Still, the Astros were 3x14 with RISP, while Arizona was 7x15. Six of Arizona's runs came with two outs. Astros pinch-hitters were 1x3, with Maysonet getting a hit and a run.
Pitch Count Hero: Jason Michaels - 26 pitches in 4 PAs
Pitch Count Punk: Lance Berkman - 14 pitches in 5 PAs
Man of the Match: Humberto Quintero. Since the Pudge trade, Q has hits in all three starts, going 4x10 with 2 doubles and a homer.
Goat of the Game: Sorry, Bud Norris. Without that first inning, the Astros win 5-1.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
