I blame Wilton Lopez. The first time he allows a run since the first Bush administration, and the game goes seven extra innings. Still, the Astros get at least a split with a 4-2 win.
*The Astros are now 7-4 in extra-inning games. In games that go 11+ innings, they're 3-1. It's the longest game (inning-wise) since July 6, 2008 - a 7-6 loss at Atlanta.
*Yeah, so Wilton Lopez. His scoreless streak was a League-high (21IP) until last night. And he was only an out away - Jimmy Rollins hit a solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the game and send it to extras.
*It was the second homer Rollins had hit with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, last doing it against Eddie Guardado in August 2006, but it only brought the Phillies to a 7-9 deficit. It's his 4th homer in the 9th in which the Phillies were behind.
*Lopez has only allowed seven home runs in his career - three of them against Philly. Of the three homers he's allowed in 2010, two are against Philly, and all three have come on the road.
*This is incredible: Despite allowing 5H/1ER, 4K:3BB, Bud Norris only threw first-pitch strikes to seven of the 26 batters he faced. When throwing that FPS, the Phillies were 3x6, BB.
*Norris went eight straight batters without throwing a first-pitch strike.
*Fernando Abad had a strong outing - 2IP, 1H/0ER, 3K:0BB, and Mark Melancon threw 3IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:2BB, WP.
*Fulchino walked three (two intentionally) in 2IP.
*So the first nine innings saw this (from an offensive POV):
Houston: 9IP, 6H/2ER, 9K:2BB
Philly: 9IP, 7H/2ER, 5K:5BB
And then in extras:
Houston: 7IP, 3H/0ER, 8K:5BB
Philly: 7IP, 8H/2ER, 4K:2BB
*Big bats of the game were Chris Johnson (4x6, BB, RBI), and Hunter Pence (3x6, BB). Carlos Lee hit a two-run homer in the 4th, his 17th of the year.
*Carlos Lee has had a pretty hot month. In 22 games in August (85ABs), Lee has 25 hits, 10 extra-base hits, 19RBI, 7K:7BB.
*The catchers (Quintero and Castro) each went 0x3, but Ryan Howard went 0x7 by himself, with 5Ks. It's his first 5K game of his career.
*How the Astros won in the 16th: Pence (infield single), Wallace (HBP), WP advances both to 2nd/3rd, Michaels (IBB), Johnson (RBI infield single), Manzella (RBI fielder's choice). Two runs, nothing out of the infield.
*Pitch Count Hero: Chris Johnson (4x6, BB) - 37 pitches in seven PAs
*Pitch Count Punk: Carlos Lee (1x4) - 9 pitches in four PAs.
*Man of the Match: Chris Johnson!
*Goat of the Game: Tommy Manzella - 1x7 and 0x3 w/RISP.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
