Well, I'll be... The Astros score five runs in the final two innings - four in the 9th - for a 5-3 win over Texas.
*This was just the fourth time this season the Astros have scored four runs in an inning, and the first time the Astros scored that many in the 9th. It's also the 9th time this season that the Astros scored 2+ runs in the 9th inning, in 68 9th innings.
*Last night was the second win the Astros have enjoyed over the Rangers since the beginning of 2010.
*With the completion of the game, the Astros have played 76 game: 38 at home / 38 on the road. They're better on the road (15-23) than they are at home (13-25).
*The win also gives the Astros a 3-3 split on this 6-game road trip, marking back-to-back road trips where the Astros earned at least a split for the third time since the beginning of 2009.
*Brett Myers threw well enough to where he should have gotten the win, throwing a symmetrical 6IP, 6H/2ER, 6K:2BB and yes, allowing a homer to Nelson Cruz in the 5th. That makes 20 homers allowed for Myers in 102.2IP, matching his 2010 total, when he allowed 20HR in 223.2IP.
*Myers also threw two wild pitches, where he had two on the season coming into the game. In each of the previous three seasons, Myers has had two or fewer wild pitches...for the entire year.
*On the road this season, Myers has thrown 59IP, allowing 57H/26ER, 35K:18BB for a 1.27 WHIP. At home, that's 43.2IP, 47H/27ER, 40K:14BB and a 1.40 WHIP.
*Wilton Lopez got a scoreless 7th, and Mark Melancon came in for six outs - something he had not done this season. It was certainly interesting, with Melancon walking three batters. He had walked three batters - total - since May 1 (22 appearances).
*Melancon's 5th win brings him back into a tie with Wandy Rodriguez for the team-high.
*The 9th inning was a wild one - with Neftali Feliz throwing for the second straight day, and after throwing 35 pitches in 2IP against the Astros in G75. Carlos Lee led off with a double, Wallace popped out, Michaels reached on an infield single, and Johnson got an RBI double then scored on Yorvit Torrealba's passed ball. Matt Downs then hit a 400' homer to left, scoring Michaels and giving the Astros the 5-3 lead.
*It's Downs' 5th homer of the season. As a pinch-hitter, he's hitting .389/.560/.833, going 7x18 with four extra-base hits (2HR), 2K:5BB. Pretty impressive considering NL pinch-hitters as a group are hitting .211/.289/.302 with 31HR total.
*Brett Wallace was 0x3 with a walk - and has no hits in his last 24 plate appearances (4BB). On this six-game road trip, Wallace was 1x21.
*Jason Michaels was 2x4 for the only multi-hit game the Astros enjoyed. As a starter, he's 13x54, and as a pinch-hitter, he's 2x17.
*Jeff Keppinger was 1x4, and has a 10-game hitting streak (hits in 14 straight starts).
*Brett Wallace and Carlos Lee were a combined 0x4 w/RISP.
*Man of the Match: Matt Downs
*Goat of the Game: Let's go with the catchers - Corporan and Towles - who, if you add their OPS', have a combined OPS of .901
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
