Lucas Harrell (3-6, 5.43) vs Juan Nicasio (4-1, 4.38)
Oh my goodness, that was beautiful. The evening started out frustrating, with four Astros errors through the first three frames helping Colorado to a 3-1 lead. But for once, it was Houston with the big, breakout inning, and a six-run 6th vaulted the Astros to their first series sweep of the season. Final score 7-5, and they finish the first third of the 2013 season at 17-37.
On the Mound:
*Lucas Harrell finished his up and down May one out shy of an official quality start. He began his night a bit shaky, and seemed to run out of gas by the end, but ultimately he held the Rockies to three earned runs and one very, very unearned one. Lucas' line: 5.2 IP / 8 H / 4 R / 3 ER / 4 BB / 2 K.
*Brad Peacock made his first appearance since returning from OKC, and surrendered only a single and a walk in 2.1 innings scoreless.
*Wesley Wright threw two pitches in the 9th, and Carlos Gonzalez singled on the second of them.
*Then Hector Ambriz got the call (in lieu of the overworked, and ineffective, In Vino Veras). He allowed Wright's runner to score on a sac fly, but otherwise recorded the three requisite outs for his first save.
At the Plate:
*How about Castro the Astro? Jason keeps swinging a hot stick, going 2 for 3 tonight with 2 doubles, 2 walks, and 2 runs scored.
*J.D. Martinez also had a hot night at the plate, going 4 for 5 with a RBI, a run scored, and a K.
*cHRis Carter had the single biggest swing tonight, launching a 3-run homer deep to left field that put Houston in the lead. The home run was his team-leading 10th, and he finished 1 for 3.
*Matt Dominguez continued his May power surge, too, going back-to-back with Carter for his 8th home run of the month and the season. Matty D finished 1 for 4.
*Carlos Pena also had a RBI, going 1 for 5 with a R and 2 K.
*Jose Altuve went 1 for 5 with a run scored, but his average dropped again to .302. He has hits in 6 of his last 7 games, but he's hitting only .250 over that span.
*Trevor Crowe came in defensively for Carter in the 6th, and he singled in his lone PA.
Turning Point:
Juan Nicasio took a 3-1 lead into the 6th, but then his night took a wrong turn very quickly. Jose Altuve singled on his first pitch; Jason Castro doubled on his fourth pitch; then J.D. Martinez and Carlos Pena each delivered RBI singles on his fifth and sixth pitches, respectively. With the score now 3-3, Nicasio's night was done, but the Astros weren't. Chris Carter blasted a 3-run bomb off old friend Wilton Lopez, then Matt Dominguez made it back-to-back jacks to cap Houston's six-run 6th.
Man of the Match:
J.D. Martinez. Carter and Dominguez had the big swings, but J.D. has gone 8 for 13 since his platinum sombrero three nights ago.
Goat of the Game:
Ronny Cedeno. 0 for 3 with 2 K at the plate, and a pair of throwing errors on back-to-back plays in the 3rd that gift-wrapped a Colorado run.
