I'll be honest. I didn't watch this game. I watched the USA-Ghana game, and had to lay down for a nap after the game was over, from which I just woke up (note: no alcoholic beverages were consumed during this game. It was just that depressing.) This also means I missed the opening game of the Round Rock/Nashville series. But I'll make up for it by going to the Sunday/Monday/Tuesday games.
Luckily, though, the County Clerk was at this game.
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God have mercy. The Rangers break out of their one-game funk and hammer the Astros 7-2.
*Josh Banks' debut performance (for the Astros) by inning:
1st inning: 0x3, 2BB, ROE - left bases loaded - 25 pitches, 6 strikes
2nd inning: 1x4, BB - left runners on 1st and 3rd - 22 pitches, 5 strikes
3rd inning: 3x5 - left runner on 1st - 11 pitches, 3 strikes
4th inning: 3x6, K, BB - 25 pitches, 10 strikes
5th inning: 1x1 - 1 pitch.
*Chacin gave up a single to Elvis Andrus which later scored Nelson Cruz, to whom Banks allowed a leadoff single.
*The leadoff batter reached in four of the five innings Banks started - only getting Andrus to fly out to center to open the game.
*Fulchino and Byrdak finished out the game, allowing seven baserunners and only striking out one between them.
*This means the Rangers have officially won the Silver Boot for the 4th straight year. They tied 3-3 in the 2007 series, but the Astros were outscored 34-28.
*The Astros actually have a winning record against six teams this season: Cubs (4-2), Rockies (4-2), Marlins (2-1), Pirates (3-0), Cardinals (4-2), and Nationals (3-1). They're just 3-11 in Interleague play. And they're 9-38 against all the other teams in the Majors.
*Prior to today, the Astros had scored 5+ runs in three straight games (3-0). They had only done that once before, in the 2nd-4th games against the Nationals (3-0), June 1-3.
*The Astros got five hits on the day, four of them from non-regular starters (who maybe should see some more playing time) - two each from Bourgeois and Michaels.
*The Astros also drew six walks, the sixth time they have done so, and they are 4-2 in those games.
*Banks' Game Score of 19 was tied for 3rd-worst by an Astro starting pitcher this season. Moehler and Paulino each threw a 5 (a sea donkey could throw a 5). Wandy threw a 15 against Cincinnati on May 28, and Bud Norris threw a 19 at Atlanta.
Pitch Count Hero: Keppinger (0x3, BB) and Michaels (2x4) - 19 pitches in four PAs.
Pitch Count Punk: Pence (0x3, BB), Johnson (0x4), and Castro (0x4) - 14 pitches in four PAs.
Man of the Match: Jason Michaels. 2x4, 2RBI
Goat of the Game: Josh Banks.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
