I could say that the pitching was all around terrible, but that would be kind of not really all there is to say. Happ, as usual, had trouble finding the strike zone and don’t ask me how on earth he struck out 8 in 5 innings. Well, actually, yes you can – he faced 27 batters over his 5 IP. Walked only 3, went to a 3 ball count 8 times, gave up 9 hits including 1 homer (to BJ Upton who I hear tell wants to swap out the St. Petersburg stadium for the Box – he hit a homer every game.) So Ed Wade, you ever gonna try to explain why you thought this guy was the best trade for Roy Oswalt?
Niemann, unlike Shields and Davis, was terrible and threw almost everything that wasn’t a ball up and the Astros SHOULD have hit 10 runs off just him. in his 3 innings. He was so bad that he was giving up extra base hits to Brett Wallace (who otherwise looked terrible, as usual) and these were legit gappers and hits off the scoreboard and LF bullpen. Clank hit a TRIPLE for goodness sakes.
Only pitcher they threw up there who had good stuff besides Farnsworth the closer was Juan Cruz, who got 2 straight 1,2,3 innings, the second because Jason Bourgeois got caught stealing. He isn’t running well, to be nice about it.
Astros tied the game in the second. Happ gave up 2 more runs immediately and the Astros tied it again. Astros took the lead in the 4th, 7-5, and Happ came on to pitch the 5th (so as he could get the W – never mind how lousy he was pitching) gave up a walk and a double and somehow got 2 Ks then a flyout.
Wilton Lopez comes in and gives up an infield dribbler to 3rd (like a good bunt) then a K then a homer to Longoria juuuust over the yellow line at the Crawford Boxes.
I hear tell that Longoria, who said before the series started that he felt his swing was bad and he was uncomfortable at the plate, is calling Buddy Boy to demand that the remainder of the Rays games all be played vs the Astros at the Box so he can break Ted Williams’ .406 record and Barry Lamar’s 73. Or at least have a legit race with BJ Upton.
Tie game.
Bottom of the 7th, Keppinger hits a homer into the Crawford Boxes, giving the Astros their second lead. So Ed Wade, are you ever gonna get around to explaining why you were so determined to get Keppinger off this team? I mean, just out of curiousity because the media sure as heck ain’t gonna ask, let alone criticize.
Lopez comes out for the 8th, gets an out, gives up a single, then an IF single off his leg. He gets pulled and in comes the Closer, Melancon. Gets a K, loses all semblance of command, gives up a walk, then next hitter throws 2 pitches waaay out of the zone, then gives up a 2 run double to the RF corner. Rays take the lead 9-8.
But that is just Melancon francoing Lopez to tag HIM with the L. He then gives up a 2 RBI single to give the Rays a 3 run lead.
In comes 8th inning guy Joel Peralta (actually, I’m not supposed to call him that because apparently Joe Maddon hasn’t officially NAMED him that even though he’s The Guy when the Rays are ahead in a close game) who gives up a double to CJ, then a homer to PH Downs. Barmes singles, Corporan sac-bunts (in the 4th, he hit a double to the RF bullpen, swear to GOD – had no idea he could hit a ball that far or hard) then Jason Bourgeois, second BAD night in a row, grounds out to Longoria who throws to Kotchman who gets Barmes trying to take 3rd.
jeezus gawd.
sigh
Rays lead 11-8. Melancon back out. He gives up a single to Wade Davis – last night’s PITCHER, yes, you heard that right, an American League PITCHER – second hit of the night for a Rays pitcher – Niemann got his first ever major league hit, a ball that went to the RF corner that would have been a double for anyone else, even Brett Wallace. Then a Wild Pitch – and mind, Melancon had been throwing em in the dirt, waaaay outside, waaaaay high all night – then a K, then a single, then a FC.
Gotta tell you about that FC. Downs is at second and Kepp is out. Wade Davis at 3rd, Johnny Damon at first. Zobrist, a good runner is hitting – hits the ball on the IF, Downs gets it, throws home. NOT to first for a 4-3-6 DP – and he had time, too. So instead of inning ovah, it’s Davis out at home, 2 on, 2 out, Evan Longoria up. So Melancon throws him a belt high inside FB and you’ll NEVAH guess what Mr. Home Run Hitter did to that poor ball.
Yeah, I know, not that it mattered at that point. His ERA jumped from 1.98 to 3.19.
Even Millsie-poo knew it was time to pull The Closer and in came Escalona who got the 3rd out.
Not that it mattered.
This game took FOUR freaking hours – uck, I hate these football score games. We were starting bottom of the 4th at the 2 hour mark.
Astros got 14 hits, TWO home runs in one game – yes friends and neighbors, you read that right – TWO home runs in the same GAME, not same week or even same month – and SIX doubles and one triple. In the 36 ABs – not one walk, not real too surprising.
Tomorrow is a day off, then the Rangers ride in, bats eagerly waiting.
Get used to this stuff – it’s gonna keep happening…
Tags: Houston Astros, MLB, Rays, Tampa Bay Rays
J.A. Happ has a mental thing going. He is starting to let those gremlins in his
head, and it looks like he might be headed for the DL. I’m totally serious, the
guy looks like a deer in headlights. WOW…..what a game. I kept turning my radio off, and then THERE the GO!!! Tough, tough game to watch. Our “closer”
took a hike today………where does it all END????????????????? Becky:(
I too would like to ask Ed Wade why he was so anxious to get Jeff Keppinger off the team. I’d also like to ask him how low Barmes’ batting average has to go before he’s pulled out of the lineup. Yeah, I know that Angel Sanchez isn’t the great defender that Barmes is, but he was getting a lot of hits way back when he was getting regular playing time and regular AB’s. Barmes is horrible. I’ll take Sanchez.
Lisa…….the Dodgers claimed chapter 11 bankruptcy today, will that affect the
sale of the Astros to Crane????????????? Becky:(
Mills does not know when to pull a pitcher. Wonder if he and Brocail are having philosophical differences? This team sucks!
Outside this blog i have heard nothing of how wade hates Keppinger and wants to get rid of him.
I with they would trade Pence before he gets ruined playing for this bunch of Losers. I would like to see them trade him to a real contender such as the phillies, rangers, or braves. I believe with a much better supporting cast you would see hunter really excel.
Instead of 15 team leagues, bud could combine the Dodgers, Astros And Marlins and have this team play a third if it’s home schedule in each city.
Longoria and Upton, etc., enjoyed teeing off against an inferior pitching staff on a particularly bad weekend. The ballpark they were doing it in hardly mattered. Overall, MMPUS has been below average offensively for years.
I understand stream-of-consciousness, if that is what you are going for; but the game summary is hard to follow. I imagine anyone who had not seen the game already could not make heads or tails of it.
Your recounting of Downs choice on the FC is 20-20 hindsight, at best; and wholly inaccurate if you are implying his options were obvious. They were not.
This is just one example of the many actual errors throughout the summary.
buzney……By all means, feel free to stop reading Lisa’s blog! Thanks!!
Becky, this guy sorta reminds me of the Chronicle’s mid season grades for the Astros. The guy who wrote it lives in Baton Rouge and has no doubt been swimming in the Mississippi River(again) and this time swallowed too much water. Not sure what team this ChipbBailey has been watching this season, but not the same Astros that I have endured. I have rather enjoyed Ms Lisa’s re-hashing of the games and her rants as well. Keep up the good work Lisa! Maybe the Skeeters will be worth watching.
Sorry for the offense. I did not realize critical comments were not welcomed. They were intended as criticism of the writing and information enclosed, not the person who wrote it (who I do not know.)
Again, to the author, no personal offense intended. I will take the advice of one of your readers, and go elsewhere.
sceptor,
i use the word “hate” because i can’t figure out why on earth wade spent the whole offseason – until keppinger’s surgery – trying to trade him – you note he signed hall BEFORE kepp had surgery. you haven’t read about it because nobody cares about the astros
i would guess they’d trade bourn before pence because bourn’s agent is boras and i seriously doubt bourn is gonna sign any long term contract. and they kind of have to keep SOME astros favorite. and yeah, i DO feel sorry for the guy. tough to spend your whole career on a terrible team. but if he doesn’t sign some kind of long term deal like soon, well, i’d say he’s gone after next year.
but no problem – we have bright young stars like happ to look forward to
buzney,
yeah, i know the entry was a little disjointed. sort of like the team. and yes i know that the rays teed off on an inferior pitching staff and half the homers were crawford box jobs that wouldn’t have made it out in most other parks. an actual accurate game summary would have taken me 2 hours – i didn’t have the time and i really didn’t have the energy and was, to put it mildly, to disGUSted with the pitchers, the players, the manager, the general manager, tal smith, the owner, etcetcetc
with downs – now there you have got an argument. you think that he was too close to home to turn the DP then?
i don’t have a problem with criticism unless it involves libel or bad language or politics. i didn’t in any way ask you to leave.
charlie,
chip writes for the chron – yeah, i read the notice that he doesn’t represent the editorial position of the chron, but just the same, i would be more than a little surprised if he had complete freedom to criticize, say, jim crane, let alone the astros management/players.
mid season grades?
oh gawd
it’s not bad luck that the astros are the worst team in the majors.
and yes, i am PRAYING that frank mccourt declaring bankruptcy/even more mess with the dodgers puts a halt to crane buying the team
Lisa I am not so sure that the media in this town all work for Drayton/EdWade. They never ask a critical question to Magoo, about any of his decisions, nor do they write anything negative about this crap that is being placed on the field for our enjoyment. Even JD and the folks at FSN Houston are wussys when it comes to Mills/Wade. Maybe Milo has them on a short leash. Maybe they are afraid the sponsors will quit on them. This team would be crying in Chicago, New York or even Dallas. I recall a few years ago when they sucked, the Saints were the biggest joke on the airwaves and in print in New Orleans.
I have yet to see anything about Mr Crane and his shady finances either. Maybe since they are Our Astros, we can put an ad on CraigsList.
Randy McIlvoy said on Twitter today that Drayton McLane told him the sale of the Astros is “2 or 3 weeks away” because of the Dodgers. It was unclear if this means the actual transfer is 2 or 3 weeks away, or if it’s just been delayed for at least 2-3 weeks because of the Dodgers. Obviously, McLane has been less than honest during the sale process. Hopefully McLane’s comment was just wishful thinking and not a fact.
Jim Crane and his group are going to be WAY over MLB’s debt limit. I don’t see how MLB can approve Crane at the same time they’re in court trying to seize the Dodgers. McCourt’s lawyers would have a field day with that.
Downs was charging in hard on the ball and was already way inside the baseline. He would have either had to stop (impossible, would have taken too long) or twisted and thrown back over his shoulder to first (or second, you pick). It’s a low percentage play, and an error is likely. Even if he pulls it off, no way they have time to complete the double play. He totally made the right play — cut off the run, keep the game close. It’s not his fault the pitcher totally screwed up and gave the game away to the next hitter.
The Panamaniac might be faster than Bourn and Bougeois.
he’s 13th in the league in triples…
I was listening to a San Diego game a couple years ago when he first came up and the announcers couldn’t believe how fast he was when he stole second.
I think he is more of a bunt-your-way on kind of guy, and not sure he will see the majors again. But definitely worth a pick-up.