Well. That...ugh.
Let's start with the good:
*Brandon Barnes became the 2nd player this season - and the 8th player in Astros history - to hit for the cycle. The last Astro to hit for the cycle was Luke Scott, on May 28, 2006.
*Barnes also had five hits, the first Astro to collect five hits in a game since Hunter Pence did it back in May of 2008.
*The Astros, as a team, have gotten five or fewer hits in a game 22 times this season.
*Brandon Barnes and Justin Maxwell scored six of the Astros' seven runs.
*Jason Castro hit his 26th double of the season, surpassing Brad Ausmus' record for doubles by an Astros catcher in team history. Castro is hitting .367/.424/.600 in his last eight games, beginning with the road-trip at Texas.
*Brett Wallace hit the first home run of his career as a sub, when he mercifully replaced Ronny Cedeno at DH. Since getting called back up in June, Wallace is hitting .300/.344/.667. Eleven of his 18 hits have gone for extra-bases.
Now:
*The Astros are now 12-3 when scoring seven or more runs in a game.
*Ronny Cedeno, who was 0x2 with a strikeout before getting pulled for Brett Wallace, is hitting .141/.179/.172 in 25 June/July games. And he was the designated hitter.
*Bud Norris had a rough fourth inning in a 5.2IP, 6H/6ER, 2K:4BB outing. In his last two starts (10.2IP), Norris has allowed 17H/13ER, 7K:5BB.
*His 120 pitches last night were the most since his 2nd start of the season, when he threw 122 against Oakland.
*Norris gave up 13 earned runs from June 1-July 3 (seven starts).
*Josh Fields gave up 2H/3ER, 1K:2BB in 1IP. He has given up at least one earned run in six of his last eight appearances.
*And Ambriz gonna Ambriz! Justin Smoak welcomed Hector Ambriz back to the Majors by taking him deep with the first pitch of the first AB. Ambriz then went on to allow a single, flyout, wild pitch, walk, flyout, strikeout.
Man of the Match: Brandon Barnes
Goat of the Game: Anyone who tried to throw a pitch.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
