Well, seems that even Michael Bourn can have a BAD game. Four strikeouts and the only time he hit the ball, it was 2 out, bottom of the 9th, tying runs on base, and the ball got caught. But worst of all, he lost a fly ball in the top of the 4th – bases loaded, 2 outs, and Pence ran to get it, missed and all 3 runs scored AND Pence got the E. I guess he shoulda been backing up Bourn better, but Bourn shoulda gotten to the ball. I don’t suppose I need to bring up him striking out with bases loaded in the bottom of the 5th, do I?
I know, bases shouldn’t have been loaded. Paulino had a really bad game, except for his last inning. First inning, he had ZERO command of the FB, and the only pitch he got over for a strike was his slider. Drew Stubbs led off with a single on the first strike he saw, then, with Brandon Phillips up, he watched him take a strike, then took off on the next ball, which was almost head high and Quintero had a bad throw (Kaz saved that ball from going into the OF) and Phillips walked on the next pitches and all I thought was (swear words) here we go again with a pitcher who has a problem throwing strikes. Stubbs eventually scored on a groundout, but it took Felipe 20 pitches to get through the first and he threw more balls than strikes.
It took him 20 pitches to get through the second, too, but at least he had a leeeetle better command – got Nix on a staring K (5 pitches) gave up a 5 pitch walk and got a 4 pitch K on the pitcher.
3rd inning, he got his 3 outs on 1 pitch each – trouble was that in between, he gave up a bloop single and a triple – and that was actually a very good pitch, a knee high inside slider.
So the Astros are down, 2-0. Mostly because they look like fools up there – the only guy to reach base was Kepp, who singled, then got erased on the Astros piece de resistance – the GIDP. Don’t guess I should mention that this was the first of Clank’s 2 GIDPs on the night, hunh?
This is painful. Thing is, by the 4th, Paulino was having such a tough time finding the plate that he didn’t get any borderline pitches called. He gave up an IF single to short (Kepp should not be playing short) then got a FO, then gave up a double to left, then Kd the pitcher, then gave up a 6 pitch walk to Stubbs to load the bases – and 2 of those balls would have been called strikes if he hadn’t had such bad command. And then the effup with the flyball to right center which let 3 runs score – and unearned runs STILL score real actual RUNS.
ugh
Then he gave up another walk, and a double, and mercifully struck out Bruce to end the, the, the, um, horror – yeah, that’s the word.
Number one son looked at me. He sez – man whatta bunch of LOSERSSS ida wanna watch this no mo. And his twin sez – yeah, we ain’t no Cub fans you know.
ooooooooooh burrrrrrrrrrnnnnnnnnn
So I told them that your team is your team, win or lose and number 1 son sez – but they such BORING losers. The boy gots his little self a point there, but I told him he had a choice of minding his manners and watching or going straight to bed, so he decided that it just might could be a good decision to stay on Mami’s good side and he managed to stay shut up when Bourn, Kepp and Clank went down without a murmur.
And he managed to not sneer when, as usual, the first pinch hitter sent up was Cory Sullivan, who actually managed to not make an out, as usual, by walking (HOW long is this gonna last???) And the kidsss groaned when Michael Bourn came up with bases loaded, 2 out, chance to be a HEro and struck out. The twins looked at each other, shrugged, and without being nagged, went off to wash hands and face and brush teeth for bed – and told little brother to cmon, letsgo – this stuff is for GRRRRRRRRRLZ.
So, of course, they missed watching Brian Moehler pitch 2 innings of 1,2,3 out – helped by the damfool Reds pitcher trying to stretch a single into a double, missed Sammy Gervacio get 1,2,3 out with just 1 walk, missed Chris Sampson give up a double, then get 3 quick groundouts.
AND they missed the excitement, bottom of the 9th when Nick Masset, who made Clank, Lance and Pence look like uh, lousy – yeah, that’s the word, well, tonight, he decided to suck. First, he walks Clank on 4 straight pitches. Then, he throws a luscious beefy FB right down the middle to Lance, who sends it a LONG way to left for a 2 run homer.
He then Ks Pedro Feliz, but then, not sure why, Dusty pulls him and sends up Coco Cordero to face Pence, who beats out his second IF hit (he’s reminding me of Willy T – that is not a good thing, by the way). Kaz then walks on 5 pitches, then Mills sends Blum up to pinch hit. Blum clutches and singles Pence home.
Then, Mills sends Towles up to pinch hit – WHY??? Where is Jason Michaels with the game on the line? Towles can’t pinch hit to save his life. And sure enough, he Ks, and then Michael hits the ball far, but not far enough and it’s ovah.
But at least we had ONE inning of excitement.
I don’t know why Norris and Paulino are having such trouble throwing strikes, but they really need to get it going before Drayton gets impatient and sends them packing for some mediocre pitcher who has Veteran Presence. Or something.
Roy goes tomorrow and I’m not gonna say anything more…
