Yes, well. Okay. Astros lose 5-1, avoiding the shutout on Geoff Blum's RBI single, scoring Pedro Feliz. Some observations:
*Pedro Feliz was 3x4 - seeing nine pitches all night. In the last week, he's 10x27 with 0K:1BB, for a .370/.379/.481 line. He has raised his batting average 41 points since May 28.
*1-5 in the lineup went a combined 2x17, with three walks (Bourn, Keppinger 2). Feliz, Quintero, and the pinch-hitting Blum were 6x9 with 1K, 1RBI.
*Lance Berkman was 0x4. When Lance doesn't get a hit in the game, the Astros are 2-15. They're 17-10 when he does get a hit.
*Wandy Rodriguez threw 7IP, 9H/3ER, 2K:2BB, dropping his record to 3-8. In 2009, he did not lose his 8th game until August 25.
*Wandy has also struck out 46 batters in 12 starts this season. He had 48 strikeouts through his eighth start (May 14) in 2009.
*Tim Byrdak allowed two runs, getting one out. It was his first run-allowing outing in his last four, but it's the third outing in his last six in which he has allowed as many (or more) runs as he recorded outs.
*Byrdak allowed two extra-base hits - a double to Hawpe and a triple to Olivo. It was the first triple he had allowed this season, and the first time in his 18 games in 2010 that he has allowed multiple XBHs.
Pitch Count Hero: Hunter Pence (0x4) - 21 pitches in four PAs
Pitch Count Punk: Pedro Feliz (3x4) - 9 pitches in four PAs
Man of the Match: Pedro Feliz!
Goat of the Game: I'm going with Lance Berkman on this one. In the 8th, with two on, down by three, Berkman GIDPd. In fact, Berkman was 0x4 with two GIDPs and a strikeout.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
