Wow! I feel like I'm on an episode of Boiling Points, and MTV is watching me throughout the season, just waiting for me to explode. Astros blow it against the Pirates, 7-3.
*Houston had a 3-2 lead going into the 6th inning, marking the 19th blown lead of the season. When starting the 6th with a lead, the Astros are 17-11.
*J.A. Happ pitched decently enough - 5IP, 6H/2ER, 7K:4BB - with a fairly inefficient 108 pitches to get 15 outs.
*Here's an interesting stat. Last night, Happ struck out a batter to end the inning in all five innings. In 99PAs with 2 outs, Happ only had 17Ks all year.
*Happ has walked 4+ batters in five of 14 outings this season.
*Then the bullpen happened. Enerio Del Rosario allowed 3H/3R (2ER), 1K:0BB, allowing a double, single, single, fielder's choice (error), sac fly. Del Rosario has allowed earned runs in four of his last five games, and 2+ ER in three of those games.
*Fernando Rodriguez gave up a 2-run homer to Xavier Paul. It was his first homer of the year, and actually his first homer since May 15, 2009, when he hit a solo shot off of Chris Volstad - his first homer of his career.
*Aneury Rodriguez made his re-emergence from the bullpen, striking out two in 1.1IP. Those two strikeouts equaled his total in two of his eight starts.
*Mark Melancon allowed two hits, but no earned runs, giving him an eight-appearance ER-less streak. In his last ten games (10IP), he has allowed 8H/1ER, 11K:2BB.
*The offense just couldn't come up with a big hit, going 2x14 w/RISP (Pence was 0x3; Barmes, Towles, Lee, and Johnson were each 0x2). Bourn and Wallace were the only Astros with a hit w/RISP.
*Michael Bourn was 3x4 on the night. From the May 30 G54 @ Chicago, Bourn is hitting .343/.388/.492.
*Bourn also had two stolen bases, to give him 29 on the season. He didn't get his 29th stolen base in 2010 until his 89th game (July 20).
*Brett Wallace was 2x4 with another 2BB game. In his last three games, Wallace has five hits and four walks, with one strikeout. And Wallace's single to right in the 5th off Charlie Morton was the 100th hit of his major-league career.
*Hunter Pence also had two hits, going 2x5 with 2Ks. In his last seven games - while hitting .417 - has 6K:1BB.
*On this 2-7 homestand, the Astros are 13x89 (.146) with runners in scoring position.
*Man of the Match: Michael Bourn
*Goat of the Game: The Bullpen.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
