Brandon Lyon makes it interesting, but the Astros come away with their first win of the season - a feat achieved before the Red Sox and the Rays.
*Myers posted his 2nd quality start of the season, throwing 6.1IP, 6H/2ER, 4K:3BB.
*Brett Myers managed to walk opposing pitcher Sam LeCure - something that he had only done 14 times previously, and only once in 2010.
*Myers also walked three batters for the second start in a row. He walked four in each of his last two 2010 starts, and had a four-start stretch from May 16 to June 1 where he walked 3+ batters.
*Myers got yanked after giving up a pinch-hit homer in the 7th to Scott Rolen, tying the game at 2-2. That was the 199th homer he had allowed, but only the 26th homer he had allowed in the 7th inning or later. Rolen's was just the 4th game-tying homer in the 7th or later he has allowed in his career.
*Bullpen alert: Mark Melancon was brought in to face Brandon Phillips, who hit a single. Then Fernando Abad was brought in to face Votto, who also singled, Abad had two on with two outs in the 7th in a tie game, and got Gomes to fly out to right to end the inning. Abad ended up getting four outs, adding a walk.
*Carlos Lee hit a triple - his second of the year, which at the moment, ties him for the NL lead in triples. He hasn't hit multiple triples in a season since 2002, and his career high is three - set in 2001.
*Between 1999-2002, Lee hit nine triples; from 2002-2010, he hit five. So of course, he has two in his first six games.
*Unfortunately for the Astros, this magic didn't extend to the 8th inning, when Carlos Lee had Sanchez on second and Pence on 1st, and grounded out to end the inning.
*And Holy of Holies, Bill Hall drew a walk! Prior to that, he even got a single! Coming into G6, Hall's OPS was .263 - thanks to his day today, that got bumped up to .372
*Matt Downs got the Astros' first pinch hit of the year, a two-out double in the top of the 9th off of Nick Masset that scored Brett Wallace, to take the lead, 3-2.
*Congrats to Fernando Abad on his first major-league win.
*Brandon Lyon did what Brandon Lyon does, and that's make the 9th inning extra nut-punchy. After getting two quick outs, he gave up hits to Phillips and Votto (Votto's being an infield single), before getting a fielder's choice from Ramon Hernandez to end the game with the tying run in scoring position. And this counts as a Save.
*Lyon has faced 15 batters this season, and recorded seven outs.
*Edgar Renteria was 3x3 with a walk. I was all ready to bring an awesome stat about the last time he got on base four times in a game, but one year ago today - April 7, 2010 - Edgar Renteria went 5x5 with a walk against the Astros
*Pence recorded the Astros' first outfield assist of the season, getting Miguel Cairo at second base.
Man of the Match: Brett Myers - doesn't get the decision, but shut down a Reds offense that had scored 20 runs in the first two games of the series.
Goat of the Game: First win of the season - no Goat today.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
