Way-hey! Astros get a walk-off courtesy of Jose Altuve and beat the Reds, 4-3.
*The average age of the eight position players on Opening Day was 29.6 years old. This lineup averaged 27.4 years old, with Durango, Altuve, Martinez, and Paredes 25 years old or under.
*Bud Norris took advantage of some decidedly clutchless hitting by the Reds (who went 3x17 w/RISP). Norris threw 5IP, 10H/3ER, 2K:3BB in the no decision. The Reds left seven men on base while Norris was in the game.
*Norris' 2K were the fewest since June 8, when he allowed 1H/1ER, 2K:5BB against St. Louis. It's the 5th time this season (22 starts) that he hasn't gotten at least one out in the 6th.
*The bullpen of Fernando Rodriguez, Sergio Escalona, David Carpenter, and Mark Melancon allowed just 1H/0ER, 4K:1BB in 5IP of relief.
*Melancon got his 6th win of the season, breaking a tie with Bud Norris for 2nd-most wins on the team (Wandy had seven).
*The Astros got nine hits off the Reds, and that's the fifth game in a row they've failed to record double-digit hits, the longest streak since a nine-game stretch from May 4-13.
*The top four in your lineup (Durango-Altuve-Bourgeois-Lee) went for a combined 0x14, 2K:2BB (Bogusevic replaced Durango, and got a hit and a walk). The bottom four in the lineup (Martinez-Barmes-Paredes-Quintero) went 7x16 with 1K:0BB.
*Clint Barmes led the way with a 3x4 night. Over the last week, Barmes is 8x23 with a double, homer, and a walk.
*Humberto Quintero was 2x4 with an RBI. In his last ten games, he's 11x34.
*Congratulations to Jimmy Paredes who, as Rowan Kavner points out, is the first player in franchise history to triple in his first ML plate appearance.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
