Wandy Rodriguez (7-6, 3.37) vs Madison Bumgarner (10-5, 3.27)
Baseball is back, but unfortunately it felt much like it did before the break. Madison Bumgarner completely shut down the Astros offense, and Houston lost 5-1 in San Francisco. The Astros are now 33-54, half a game back of San Diego for climbing out of the Major League cellar.
*Wandy Rodriguez got off to a rough start, giving up two runs in each of the first two innings, on a Herculean home run by Buster Posey in the 1st and a series of tough luck singles in the 2nd. But he settled down to allow only 3 singles and a walk in four shutout innings after that. Wandy's final line: 6 IP / 7 H / 4 R / 4 ER / 2 BB / 4 K. Rhiner Cruz escaped a leadoff triple by Nate Schierholtz in the 7th, thanks to a sterling double play authored by Jose Altuve. Enerio Del Rosario was less fortunate on a one-out triple by Pablo Sandoval in the 8th, as Sandoval would clobber Chris Snyder to score on an Angel Pagan sac fly.
Observations:
*The offense managed only two hits and two walks in seven innings against Bumgarner.
*Jed Lowrie led off the 2nd with a single for Houston's first hit. He'd finish 1 for 3 with a walk.
*After that, the Astros didn't have another hit until Chris Snyder took Bumgarner deep to left with two outs in the 7th for their only run. Snyder was 1 for 4 with 2 K.
*Houston's only other hit (are we tired of that phrase yet?) was a 9th inning single by J.D. Martinez (1 for 4).
*Justin Maxwell returned from the DL by going 0 for 3 with a K and a HBP.
*Brian Bixler managed a walk and three strikeouts in four PA.
*Chris Johnson also struck out twice, in four hitless AB.
Turning Point:
The game had been all Giants ever since Buster Posey took Wandy WAY deep to CF in the 1st, but Houston finally began to show signs of life against Sergio Romo in the 9th. After Maxwell led off with a groundout, J.D. Martinez singled and Lowrie walked to give the Astros two on with one out. Chris Johnson and Chris Snyder then represented the tying runs, but Santiago Casilla came in to relieve Romo and struck both of them out.
Man of the Match:
Uhh... Chris Snyder? At least he kept Houston out of another shutout.
Goat of the Game:
The offense was worse than Wandy was, so take your pick. Bixler never even put a ball in play, but CJ did the least with the most opportunities, striking out twice while leaving three on base.
