"Houston, We Have A Problem"

Please forgive the overused quote for a title. I promise it's the most appropriate quote available.

Tonight, we started a series in Houston, a place that Jon Miller likes to say "has a sweat index of 96". Contrary to the temperature, Houston is one of those teams this year that has honestly underperformed, in a division that has quickly become a perennial hotbed of surprising talent. They were 58-59 before this game; by contrast, the Cubs have won 71, the Brewers 68, and the Cardinals 65. This has caused a lot of confusion about what role the Astros can have for the rest of the season, and what they should be doing personnel-wise. At least they can afford to mull over that kind of question, though honestly I'd rather have our situation: playing the youth, and winning the last three series matchups.

The stadium, Minute Maid Park, is well-known among engineers for its completely retractable roof, that pulls and pushes from just the right side. They also have this very odd separate piece of raised lawn in CF, that makes a serious jump from the fielder in danger of going over the wall. Seriously. I would not want this park, but I would want to be from S.F. playing in it: the Giants had been 21-7 since the park opened.

To begin the game, Winn got a leadoff BB, but was thrown out because Ochoa couldn't make contact on a hit-n-run. Lewis also drew a BB in that 1st Inning, but no runs. In the 2nd Inning Aurilia got a squib double past Berkman at 1B, but that was left unattended to as well. The 3rd Inning saw Ochoa give a two-out double for the cause, showing his quick learning by trying to get into scoring position in that situation. Lewis tried to double as well, but luckily before he was tagged out, Ochoa scored easily. Backe's reputation for a bad WHIP looked somewhat valid. Finally, consummation. 1-0, S.F.

Sanchez retired eight in a row before walking the pitcher (who, in honesty, had a .297 AVG before tonight). But it didn't cost Jonathan anything. He retired the first three innings very easily, especially given his last three starts.

The 4th Inning gave something that made me think a very strange thought, given my youth mantra: Bowker struck out. That in itself is not bad, but it made him 9 for his last 72 plate appearances. Really. Realizing that playing every day is not a great idea, I'm now moderating my "give the youth some experience" quota to one day off a week. Sanchez did his part, however; ground outs were the key for him this time - instead of riding the wave of his amazing first-half K ratio. The more he pitches in the second-half, and the more his effectiveness is based on not necessarily striking people out, the more I believe he tapered from his own game because of that first-half K total.

Aurilia went 2-2 with a leadoff double in the 5th Inning. Our team apparently likes doubles lately; we had a number of them in the Dodger series, and the run was scored tonight because of one - though that inning ended because tried to stretch into one unnecessarily. Aurilia got to 3B off of Burriss' sac fly to RCF. The fact that Sanchez was next up was somewhat countered in my heart by the fact that Winn was next. Alas, a ground out left yet another runner on-base. The first strikeout for Sanchez came in the last of that inning, but regardless the Astros were still hitless.

A few painfully fluke basehits on grounders, the first a broken-bat to Ochoa and then bunt to Sanchez, led not to outs but to runs after a sac bunt and a single. Tejada's pop-up and a very nice K of the big threat, Lance Berkman, salvaged our defensive anomaly. But two runs still scored, and our comeback attitude would have to continue if we wanted to win. By the end of the 6th Inning: 2-1, Houston.

The best part about the 7th Inning might have been that Backe was still throwing; but he had thrown 94 pitches before starting it, which means without a lead by this inning, our chance at getting a win on the WHIP King was minimal at best. Thankfully, the night was not over for him, and visible disagreement between he and his catcher looked good for us. This led to Aurilia gaining a BB, because almost every time Backe disagreed he would throw a breaker and Richie watched for it. Burriss DP-ed, and got Backe out of a mess, and unfortunately made it difficult to foresee a W, even with this year's renewed vigor on the team for playing hard until the last out.

This wasn't helped by the fact that Sanchez was left in. He had been having rough starts, and this was his best in the last four. But his 6th was shaky, and common sense was vindicated by the 7th. A double and a HBP before two outs came, and then another base hit looked bad. But because Houston's Bourn wasn't paying attention to the coach holding a man at 3B, Aurilia and Molina had Loretta tied up and tagged him to end the inning. Common Sense is not necessarily a cruel mistress.

Sanchez had a PH in the 8th Inning, which was the only good news. The rest of that inning proved nothing but the fact that our offense is the problem, not Backe's "turnaround performance" tonight. Jonathan's replacement on the mound being Sadler, there was hope; but Sadler gave up a deep fly out on the wall and then a one-pitch HR to Wigginton, both to LF, both off of consecutive hanging curves. A single to Tejada, then a BB to Berkman. Walks were the reason he was sent back down in the first place, unfortunately. Runners advanced on a ground out. A good recovery after a coaching talk for Sadler: A curveball struck out the last batter, and my mind's sole consolation was sparked: how much sweeter Sadler's K of Ramirez on Saturday night.

The 9th was much the same. Lewis Ks; Molina grounds out, 5-3; Rowand Ks. No comebacks tonight, kids. But definite frustration over a practically undeserved loss.

FINAL: 3-1, Astros.

Player To Be Pitied: Jonathan Sanchez (no-hitter through five, and a nice rebound performance)

Player To Be Noted: Rich Aurilia (2-2)

Player To Be Lauded: Ivan Ochoa (2B, R)


-MSH