Dallas Keuchel (1-0, 1.35) vs Kevin Correia (4-6, 4.32)
Happy Fourth, Astros fans. Houston begins the second half of the 162-game schedule the same way they ended the first, and far too many games over the last year and a half - with a loss. Pirates win 6-4, and Houston has now lost seven in a row overall and nine in a row on the road.
*Dallas Keuchel wasn't awful, and was partly the victim of some questionable defensive decisions by Houston in the 2nd. But he showed that he was human today, picking up his first big league loss, with this line: 5.2 IP / 7 H / 4 R / 4 ER / 4 BB / 2 K. The Fernandos - Rodriguez and Abad - combined for two scoreless innings, but David Carpenter WAS awful today, allowing two hits and two runs while recording only one out.
Observations:
*Scott Moore continues to hit well since getting the call from OKC, going 2 for 4 with a run scored.
*J.D. Martinez (2 for 4, HR) and Brian Bogusevic (2 for 3, BB, 1 RBI) also had multi-hit games for the Astros.
*Brian Bixler, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Lee had Houston's other hits...
*...but you're not reading this, as this could have been Lee's final game as an Astro.
*J.D. Martinez (2 for 4, HR) and Brian Bogusevic (2 for 3, BB, 1 RBI) also had multi-hit games for the Astros.
*Brian Bixler, Jose Altuve, and Carlos Lee had Houston's other hits...
*...but you're not reading this, as this could have been Lee's final game as an Astro.
Turning Point:
Houston staked Kid Keuchy to an early 2-0 lead, but heads-up baserunning by Pittsburgh and questionable defensive choices by Houston put the Astros in a 3-2 hole that they'd never climb out of.
Man of the Match:
Brian Bogusevic.
Goat of the Game:
David Carpenter. Wrapping this up fast to make room for the Lee chatter...
