Well, the Astros are 17 back with two to play, so time is running out on the Astros season, but a 5-3 win sure does help.
Let's do the thing:
Paulino: 5IP, 6H/1ER, 5K:3BB, 13/24 first-pitch strikes, 28/64 non-contact strikes (14c:14s)
Fulchino: 1IP, 1H, 1K:1BB, 3/5 FPS, 6/11 NCS (3c:3s)
Wright: 1IP, 1H, 2/4 FPS, 5/14 NCS (3c:2s)
LaHawk: 1IP, 2H, 2K, 3/5 FPS, 6/13 NCS (3c:3s)
Valverde: 1IP, 3H/2ER, 1BB, 5/7 FPS, 4/12 NCS (4c)
Congratulations to Felipe Paulino, who scored his first win since June 27. Valverde gave up the 2-out, 2-run double to Pedro Feliz (who was 5x17 with 7RBI). But Paulino's only run came in the 5th - Francisco doubled, and with two outs, gave up an infield single to Rollins, walked Ryan Howard, and another infield single to Ibanez - scoring Francisco.
The Astros only had one 0-fer from the position players (Quintero - 0x3), and multi-hit games from Tejada (2x3, 3RBI, 18-game hit streak, 196 hits, rain in the forecast in NY), Berkman (2x4, 2RBI), and Jason Michaels (2x4). Berkman led off the scoring with a 2-run double, scoring Matsui and Tejada. With Berkman's two RBI, that brings his RBI total to 80. And isn't that surprising, considering Berkman had 10 RBI in April.
Man of the Match: Tejada. Needs four hits in the final three games to get to 200. What, so I can't get sucked into this bullcrap?
Goat of the Game: In 4th Grade I won the Student of the Month. And the next day, I started a two-classroom brawl. True story. That's why I can give Valverde the Employee of the Month at 9am, and give him the Goat at 10:45pm. Of the same day.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
