Wandy deals, and shuts down the Rangers for a 7-0 win, losing the Silver Boot by a game.
*It's the 4th shutout for the Astros this season, and the first since all the way back on June 18, when the Astros beat the Dodgers, also by a 7-0 score.
*The Astros are 12-3 when scoring 7+ runs.
*Wandy killed it, allowing 4H/0ER, 4K:3BB in 7IP, and lowering his ERA to 2.97. In his last four starts, he's thrown 25IP, 19H/5ER (all in one start against the Rays), 20K:10BB.
*His 7IP are the most since May 17, when he threw 8IP.
*Wandy only threw first-pitch strikes to eight of 25 batters. When doing so, the Rangers were 1x8, K, with 2 GIDPs.
*Let's give it up for David Carpenter: made his MLB debut striking out Craig Gentry and getting pinch-hitter Endy Chavez and Ian Kinsler to fly out to right. Good work by Mills to get his debut in Houston, and by facing the Rangers' 8-9-1.
*Deputy Street did the leg work and found that Carpenter threw nothing but fastballs (16): sitting 92-96, and hitting 94mph in six pitches.
*And for whatever reason, the Astros used two pitchers in the top of the 9th with a 7-0 lead. Fernando Abad got two outs on ten pitches (Andrus' flied out to left, Hamilton grounded out to 2nd). Then, Mark Melancon came in for two pitches, and got Adrian Beltre to ground out. It was Abad's first appearance since June 25 and Melancon's first appearance since June 26.
*The Astros' offense went off for some extra-base hits! They got two homers in a game for the first time since May 30, and had four doubles for the 12th time in 2011.
*Carlos Lee hit a homer in back-to-back games for the first time since September 17/18, 2010. AND he drew two walks! That's three straight games with a walk, and in the last week, he's hitting .294/.350/.706, with a .299/.375/.474 line in June - all monthly highs for the season.
*Clint Barmes was 3x4, and is 8x18 with four doubles in the last week - raising his average from .226 to .237.
*Jason Michaels swung a big bat, going 2x4 with a double, homer, and 3RBI. The last time that Michaels had a homer and a double in the same game was June 26, 2010 - against Texas.
*J.R. Towles. Holy crap, man. After an April where he went 12x33 with a 1.068 OPS, he is 11x85 since May 1, with an OPS in May and June of .367 and .479, respectively.
*Man of the Match: Wandy Rodriguez
*Goat of the Game: J.R. Towles.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
