Seven games remain, and the Astros will have to win all of them to finish .500. Pirates win 6-4.
*When the Astros left on their ten-game road trip with a 72-77 record and had six coming up against the Nationals and Pirates, you were probably like me, and felt pretty good about their chances to finish .500. And you are probably like me, and have a hard time believing that the Astros are currently 2-4 against the Nationals and Pirates.
*The Astros are now 11-3 against the Pirates. But at PNC Park, they're only 2-3.
*Bud Norris' line: 4.2IP, 7H/5ER, 6K:3BB. His ERA is currently right at 5.00. His ERA was below 5.00 for four starts this season, and went up from 4.85. He has allowed 5ER in three of his last six starts.
*Norris OPS-against in nine starts at home: .718. On the road: .803. He has allowed 61 hits in 75.1IP at home, and 87 hits in 72.1IP on the road.
*It went south when Norris allowed a three-run homer to Pedro Alvarez with two outs in the 3rd inning. It's the 18th homer Norris has allowed this year, and three of them have been three-run shots. Eight of them have come with runners on.
*This was the second loss the Astros have put up in a Bud Norris start since July 23 (10-2).
*The top of the lineup for the Astros (Bourgeois-Keppinger-Pence-Lee): 1x15, 2K:1BB. Michaels-Johnson-Manzella-Quintero: 6x15, 4K:1BB, 3RBI.
*The offensive stars of the game were Humberto Quintero - who was 2x4 with a two-run double - and Chris Johnson - who was 2x4 with an RBI. In the last five games he's started, Quintero is 7x19 with 7RBI.
*Carlos Lee was 0x3 with a walk. He's now gone 16 PAs without a hit, and has one hit in his last 22 PAs.
*The Astros also had four pinch-hitters: Blum, Anderson Hernandez, Matt Downs, and Bogusevic. Hernandez drew a walk and Bogusevic got himself an RBI double. Three of Bogusevic's five hits this season have been doubles, and he has 3RBI.
*The Astros got the leadoff man on base three times. Only Jason Michaels (who led off the 2nd with a ground-rule double) scored. The Pirates, however, got the leadoff man on four times, and he later scored in three of those innings.
*In each of the four losses on this road trip, the Astros have - for however fleeting a time - held the lead at one point in the game. And last night was the 40th game the Astros have lost when they led the game at any point.
*Pitch Count Hero: Jason Michaels (1x4) - 18 pitches in four PAs.
*Pitch Count Punk: Bourgeois (0x4), Johnson (2x4), and Quintero (2x4) - 11 pitches in four PAs.
*Man of the Match: Jeez, I don't know. Quintero?
*Goat of the Game: Carlos Lee
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
