Erik Bedard (0-1, 6.17) vs Ryan Dempster (0-2, 3.38)
It was a familiar face (Ryan Dempster) in an unfamiliar place (Fenway Park), but the result was still the same. The Red Sox scored in each of the first five innings, and the Astros couldn't answer, falling tonight by a 7-3 margin. The loss drops Houston to 7-16 on the year.
On the Mound:
*Boston built a picket fence off of Erik Bedard through the first three frames, scoring once in each inning before back-to-back homers (and a pitch count of 91) ended Erik's night in the 4th. Like Philip Humber the night before, Bedard's ERA is now on the brink of 8.00 (at 7.98) after a 3 IP / 8 H / 5 R / 5 ER / 0 BB / 5 K line.
*Paul Clemens took the mound in Roger's old home and got the Astros out of the 4th, but Big Papi tagged him with a solo shot in the 5th, marring his 3 IP / 3 H / 1 R / 1 ER / 0 BB / 4 K line.
*Wesley Wright handled the 7th, sandwiching a double play between a single and a double to keep Boston off the board.
*Then Rhiner Cruz did his thing - which is to say that he loaded the bases with no outs in the 8th, nearly escaped on account of a lucky line drive double play, but then allowed Boston to pad their lead by a run anyway.
*Wesley Wright handled the 7th, sandwiching a double play between a single and a double to keep Boston off the board.
*Then Rhiner Cruz did his thing - which is to say that he loaded the bases with no outs in the 8th, nearly escaped on account of a lucky line drive double play, but then allowed Boston to pad their lead by a run anyway.
At the Plate:
*Five of the Astros' seven hits tonight were doubles, and a pair of those went to Matt Dominguez. He added a HBP and a K to finish his night 2 for 3 with 3 R.
*Jose Altuve drove in Dominguez twice on a pair of sac flies. He added a double of his own to go 1 for 3.
*Jason Castro had a double and a single to go 2 for 4 with a K.
*Robbie Grossman was held hitless again, going 0 for 4 with a BB and 2 K, but he recorded his first big league RBI on a fielder's choice in the 3rd.
*Chris Carter had double #5, going 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 K.
*Marwin Gonzalez had Houston's first non-double of the night, on a bunt single in the 7th, and he finished 1 for 4 with a K.
*By the by, the K-stros fanned 14 times tonight, bringing their total to 59 over the last 5 games.
*Jose Altuve drove in Dominguez twice on a pair of sac flies. He added a double of his own to go 1 for 3.
*Jason Castro had a double and a single to go 2 for 4 with a K.
*Robbie Grossman was held hitless again, going 0 for 4 with a BB and 2 K, but he recorded his first big league RBI on a fielder's choice in the 3rd.
*Chris Carter had double #5, going 1 for 3 with a walk and 2 K.
*Marwin Gonzalez had Houston's first non-double of the night, on a bunt single in the 7th, and he finished 1 for 4 with a K.
*By the by, the K-stros fanned 14 times tonight, bringing their total to 59 over the last 5 games.
Turning Point:
In the 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings, the Astros led off with a double against Ryan Dempster, but that was the only hit they would get in each frame. With Houston unable to string anything together in the top of the innings, and Boston adding on each time they came to the plate, Bedard and the Astros buried themselves bit by bit.
Man of the Match:
Matt Dominguez. Matty D was responsible for scoring all of Houston's runs tonight, and he's now hitting .357 (10 for 28) in his last 8 games.
Goat of the Game:
Erik Bedard. There's a clear line between Norris/Harrell and everyone else in Houston's rotation right now, and Erik is on the wrong side of it.
