Good God this is infuriating. The Astros lose 3-2 at Washington for their fourth straight loss, and seventh in their last eight games, and are 1-5 on this seven-game road trip. Six of their 12 games have been one-run affairs, and the Astros are 2-4 in one-run games.
*Houston took the lead in the top of the 4th when Jordan Schafer reached on a bunt single - the Astros' first hit of the game - stole second, advanced to 3rd on Lowrie's groundout to the right side, and scored on Buck's groundout.
*And that was all the scoring until the 7th, when Rick Ankiel doubled and advanced to 3rd on Harrell's balk. Roger Bernadina doubled Ankiel in to tie the game, and Harrell was done i favor of Fernando Rodriguez. Rodriguez walked Steve Lombardozzi (which would be a pattern), before getting Ian Desmond to foul out to end the 7th.
*In the top of the 8th, Jason Castro doubled to lead-off the inning and Marwin Gonzalez popped out trying to bunt, and Jose Altuve lined out sharply to 3rd. Enter Jordan Schafer, who singled to right to score Castro for the go-ahead run.
*Fernando Rodriguez came back out for the bottom of the 8th, walked Danny Espinosa and gave up a single to Ryan Zimmerman. Wesley Wright took over to face Adam LaRoche, walked him, and in came Rhiner Cruz with the bases loaded. Cruz walked Jayson Werth to score a run, got Rick Ankiel to ground out to get Zimmerman at home, and then Wilson Ramos hit a sac fly to score LaRoche and provide the final margin of victory.
*Harrell bounced back from his previous rough outing to throw 6.2IP, 4H/1ER, 4K:3BB. He has walked seven batters in his last 10.2IP, after not walking anyone in his first start in G2 against the Rockies.
*The bullpen of F-Rod, Wright, and Cruz walked four of the nine batters they faced. The Astros walked 13 batters in the six home games to start the season, and 23 batters in the six road games since, including 18 in the last four games.
*The offense was 1x7 w/RISP and 4x27 in the three games at Washington.
*1-2-3 in the lineup (Schafer, Lowrie, Buck, Maxwell) were a combined 3x12, while 4-5-6 (Lee, Bogusevic, Johnson) went 1x10, and 7-8 (Castro, Gonzalez) went 2x6.
*Jordan Schafer is 3rd in MLB, tied with Michael Bourn, with six steals.
*Brian Bogusevic, after going 0x3, is 4x33 on the season with one extra-base hit, and is 2x22 with 3K:4BB in his last seven games (28PAs).
*After his hot start, where Carlos Lee was hitting .364/.462/.545 in the first six games, he has gone 4x27 with one extra-base hit to drop his season line to .245/.315/.347.
*Since Opening Day, when they went back-to-back jack, Lee and Bogusevic (typically 4-5 in the lineup) have hit no homers in 86 PAs.
*Man of the Match: This one's going to Jordan Schafer.
*Goat of the Game: The Bullpen, for allowing too many walks.
*Tipping Point: Fernando Rodriguez didn't do anybody any favors, but had the go-ahead run on on base for Wesley Wright, who was brought in specifically to face lefty Adam LaRoche. Wright started him off with two strikes, a foul, and then four straight balls to walk the bases loaded with nobody out. LaRoche would score the game-winning run. Wesley Wright now has walked three batters in 3.1IP, and has a 2.10 WHIP.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
