So...maybe it's Wandy who needs to get traded. Astros win 4-0.
*The Astros handed Mike Leake his second loss of the season, dropping him to 7-2. It was the first time he had lost since June 16 (vs. Dodgers).
*Wandy won his second consecutive decision for just the second time. He won three straight from June 24-July 6, and has five wins in his last six starts.
*Wandy has posted the following line since his June 18 disaster start vs. Texas: 39IP, 28H/10ER, 34K:9BB. In other words, trade him now.
*Wandy allowed a 1st inning single to Joey Votto, and then got the next nine batters before allowing a Jonny Gomes walk, and then walked Miguel Cairo to lead off the 5th. And then got the next nine batters. In all, he allowed zero hits in the final 21 batters he faced.
*It's the 7th time the Astros have allowed no earned runs. They're 6-1, thanks to G82, when the Astros lost a 1-0 game on an unearned run. It's the 4th actual shutout the Astros have thrown this season, scoring 13 runs in those four games.
*Michael Bourn was 3x4 with a double and 2RBI. They were his first RBIs since he got two against the Pirates on July 17, bringing his July total to six RBI.
*Berkman, however, was 0x4, giving him one hit for the series against the Reds. It dropped his average to .235, the lowest it's been since June 16 at Kansas City. His average hasn't been lower since it was .234 following the May 30 game - at Cincinnati.
*For his career, he was hitting .321/.441/.683 in 151 games against the Reds. Yet in 2010, he has gone 5x30, with 7K:8BB, against the Reds, with three extra-base hits.
*Hunter Pence hit his 15th homer of the season, extending his team lead. Only the Braves and Pirates have a team leader with fewer homers (Glaus - 14; Garrett Jones - 12).
*Chris Johnson also hit his third homer of his career, taking the first pitch he saw in the 7th inning over the left field wall. It was his first homer to left field, and his first homer at Minute Maid, and third homer in six games. His .495 SLG leads the team.
*Jeff Keppinger drew two walks on the day, turning his K:BB ratio to 0.82.
*Despite all this sunshine and rainbows, the Astros were still 1x10 w/RISP, dropping the Astros to .240 w/RISP.
Pitch Count Hero: Michael Bourn (3x4) - 19 pitches in four PAs.
Pitch Count Punk: Lance Berkman - (0x4) - 7 pitches in four PAs.
Man of the Match: Wandy Rodriguez
Goat of the Game: Berkman - impatient, and 0x2 w/RISP, ended two innings.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
