Hey! In case you thought that win against the Rangers was the start of something new and exciting - it was! New And Exciting Ways To Lose Games! Red Sox put up six in the 7th and win 7-5.
*The six runs allowed in an inning tie a season-high.
*The Astros are now 4-5 when scoring exactly five runs, and 18-10 when scoring 5+ runs.
*Some L trends for you: that's six losses in seven games, nine losses in eleven games, twenty losses in 26 games!
*Bud Norris had a strong start, allowing 4H/4ER, 10K:4BB, and a leadoff homer to Marco Scutaro, and Sergio Escalona and Wilton Lopez being responsible for two of Norris' ER.
*The 10Ks mark the first double-digit K game since Norris struck out 11 Brewers on May 1, and the fourth of his career.
*In 12 starts dating back to the May 1 Brewers game, Norris has thrown 77IP, 59H/29ER, 78K:33BB, with opponents posting a .636 OPS (and a .278 BABIP).
*Sergio Escalona took his first loss, and threw the third 0IP outing of the season. He allowed an earned run for the second time since May 27 (17 appearances).
*Wilton Lopez allowed an earned run for the second time in three games, and the third time in five games.
*Enerio Del Rosario walked four batters in 1.1IP, giving the Astros nine walks on the night. Of course the nine walks are a season high and the most since August 24, 2010 (actually, in the span of six days, the Astros walked nine Mets and ten Phillies in August 2010).
*Michael Bourn was 2x5 with his 35th stolen base - five better than MLB's 2nd place Jose Reyes, and ten better than the AL leader, Jacoby Ellsbury.
*Angel Sanchez, Hunter Pence, Carlos Lee, Chris Johnson, and Clint Barmes had two hits each.
*Brett Wallace was 0x3, and Mills pinch-hit Michaels in his spot in the 7th. Since June 16, Wallace is hitting .125/.255/.150 with a .179 BABIP, and his OPS is .783 - the lowest its been since April 21.
*Man of the Match: Going with Hunter Pence here
*Goat of the Game: The bullpen. Winnable game, turned into a Loss.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
