Rough debut for Henry Sosa, and the Astros fall 6-3 at Arizona.
*The Astros are one of three teams in the NL East/NL Central to have a losing record against the NL West, at 8-12. Florida is 8-10, and Pittsburgh is 11-14.
*It wasn't so much of a rough debut for Sosa, as it was a rough first inning. Willie Bloomquist hit a lead-off homer - the second such homer of his career - and Sosa went on to issue two walks and two hits before getting out of the inning down 3-0.
*So, just to put it on the record, the Astros have been outscored 81-54 in the first inning this season, for an average of 0.69 1st inning runs, the second highest average of all the innings (they give up an average of 0.72 runs in the 6th inning).
*Anyhow, Sosa threw 6IP, 6H/4ER, 4K:3BB. This means that, in innings 2-6, he allowed 3H/1ER, 4K:1BB.
*In the seventh inning, Wilton Lopez allowed two more hits and an unearned run, and Sergio Escalona and Jeff Fulchino struck out their respective batters faced. Aneury Rodriguez allowed a hit, run, and a walk. That's five straight appearances of allowing at least one baserunner for The Aneurysm (though, to be fair, the previous three outings were six-out appareances).
*The Astros only collected six hits and two walks. J.D. Martinez had one of those walks, and Brian Bogusevic had the other.
*There is an interesting philosophy difference between Jose Altuve (1x4) and Martinez (0x3, BB): In his four plate appearances, Altuve saw nine pitches. Martinez saw 29 pitches in his four plate appearances.
*Martinez, in his first eleven games, has seen 183 pitches, 113 of which have been strikes. That works out to an average of 4.26 pitches per plate appearance. For comparison purposes, Altuve has an average of 3.11 pitches per PA.
*Humberto Quintero was 1x4 with an RBI, and as you may have seen all over the place last night, his 10-game hitting streak is a career high.
*One crucial point in the game was Carlos Lee's ass-crack of an AB in the top of the 8th inning. With the bases loaded, Lee grounded out to the shortstop. It scored Shuck from 3rd, but in nine PAs with the bases loaded in 2011, Lee has one hit (a homer, but whatever).
*Angel Sanchez' SLG is seriously in trouble of breaking below .300. With an 0x1 PH appearance, he's hitting .251/.304/.301. Sanchez hasn't had an extra-base hit since July 6 (a double) at Pittsburgh - a span of 60 PAs (with a .216/.273/.216 line).
*Man of the Match: Gah. Quintero? It's up for grabs
*Goat of the Game: I don't know. Everyone.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
