*With the 4-3 win over the Mets last night, the Astros are now 7-6 since their lousy 0-5 start. If we take out the first five games (which is something you obviously can't do), the standings would be as such:
Brewers: 8-5
Cardinals: 7-6
Astros: 7-6
Cubs: 6-6
Pirates: 5-8
Reds: 4-9
*Bud Norris' outing (6IP, 10H/3ER, 6K:1BB) lowered his ERA to 4.91, passing Wandy for 2nd-best in the rotation.
*In his last two starts, Norris has thrown 12IP, 12H/3ER, 13K:4BB, and that's even with a .324 BABIP.
*Norris allowed ten hits in an outing for the second time in his career, and the first time since August 12, 2009 (5IP, 10H/4ER) at Florida.
*Daniel Murphy's 6th inning homer off Norris was the 4th HR Norris has allowed this season. Three of those homers either tied the game or put the opponent ahead.
*Brandon Lyon got his 4th save of the season, but for the second appearance in a row, had the game-winning run at the plate.
*Michael Bourn, Brett Wallace, and Chris Johnson had two hits each on the night. For Bourn, that was his sixth multi-hit game of the season, and he has a five-game hitting streak in which he's hitting .421/.476/.421 (.500 BABIP).
*Brett Wallace was 2x4 with a double. He didn't draw a walk, but he didn't strike out either. He's gone 10 PAs without a K. That's his longest streak since a 12PA K-less streak from Aug 30-Sept 3.
*In his last four games, Chris Johnson is hitting .313/.353/.625.
*Carlos Lee's 0x4 broke a six-game hitting streak, and he's now hitting .236/.267/.361. Lee has drawn two walks in 75 PAs, hasn't walked in 20 PAs, and has GIDP'd in two straight games.
*Hunter Pence hit a line-drive 8th inning homer to give the Astros the last lead they would need. Pence has hit 94 HRs in his career, and 21 of them have come in the 8th inning or later. 38 of those HRs have been go-ahead homers.
*Man of the Match: Tough one - but going with Pence, 1x3 with a walk and the game-winning HR.
*Goat of the Game: Carlos Lee! Bill Hall was on his way to the goat, seeing six pitches in two PAs. Then he hurt his ankle.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
