Well isn't that something? Astros win 8-1, and win the series 2-1.
*This win gives the Astros a 25-20 record against the NL Central this season. Too bad they're 17-39 against everybody else. They're 8-4 against the Cubs, 3-3 against the Brewers, 7-2 against the Pirates, 5-4 against the Cardinals, and, uh, 2-7 against the Reds.
*The Astros held the Cubs to one run in each of the last two games. The last time they allowed just one run or fewer in consecutive games? Either side of the 2009 All-Star Break: 5-0 win over Washington on July 12, and 3-0 win at LA on July 16.
*Bud Norris was The Man, throwing 6IP, 4H/1R (0ER), 7K:3BB. He only threw 86 pitches in the outing, 56 of them for strikes. It's also the fourth time in his last five starts that he has managed to get 18+ outs.
*It's the first time Norris didn't allow an earned run since July 3 @ San Diego, when he got a no decision in a 1-0 loss.
*And let's tip our caps to Fernando Abad, who made his ML debut today. He threw a scoreless 9th, but gave up a hit and a walk, with 10 of his 19 pitches coming in for strikes.
*Carlos Lee was 2x4 with 4RBI today, and both hits were home runs. The last multi-homer game he had was on August 23, 2007, and this was his 2nd 4RBI game of the year.
*We also need to give it up to Lance Berkman, who was 2x2 with three walks. So that's him getting on base five times in the same game. He is 3x5 with 1K:4BB in his last two games, and has raised his OBP 11 points (from .361 to .372).
*Chris Johnson was 2x4 with a walk - his fourth of the year. This month, he has the same amount of homers (three) as walks (also, of course, three). And he has that 12-game hitting streak rolling.
*Before Johnson's hitting streak, he was hitting a respectable (hell, downright fantastic, for the Astros) .282. He's currently hitting .328.
*Hunter Pence was 3x5 with 2RBI, his 6th 3+ hit game of the year. This means that the Astros 3-4-5 hitters were a combined 7x11, with 0K:3BB, 6RBI.
*And let's welcome Jason Castro back to the hit column. It's his 3rd multi-hit game in 21 starts, and his first since July 19...against the Cubs!
*The Astros struck out four times, and walked six. That's the 15th time this season the Astros have drawn more walks than strikeouts.
*The loss by the Cubs means that they're a combined 7-17 against the Astros and Pirates. If you want to further clap with glee, they're a combined 10-24 against the Astros, Pirates, Mariners, Nationals, and Mets.
Pitch Count Hero: Jason Castro (2x5) and Lance Berkman (2x2, 3BB) - 27 pitches in five PAs.
Pitch Count Punk: Carlos Lee (2x4) - six pitches in four PAs.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
