Man I HATE these West Coast games – they start just about the time I’m finally getting the kidz in bed, and I’m TIRED. For those of you don’t got no kidz, let me tell you something – taking care of babies/toddlers is no big deal at ALL compared to school age kids. You think that once they get potty trained and can dress themselves you’re home free. Um, no.

So anyhow, I managed to catch some of last night’s game – innings 2-6 of henry Sosa’s first win – the guy looked pretty good. And the Astros tie the 03 Tigers!!! How exciting!!! Maalox saves the game, but no 1,2,3 inning again.

Stadium is absolutely packed, both games – and to see the worst team in the ML, too. How About That?

I figured that tonight, I’d catch at least the first few innings of J Happ’s start, see if he’s managed to get some movement or velocity on that FB – he threw it at least 93 when he was with Philly and now he’s down to 88. First inning, he got a single, GIDP, out!!! On less than 30 pitches!!!

Second inning, single, GO, FO, then with a man on 3rd, he’s pitching to the #8 guy hitting .202. Goes to Ball 3, then IBB. Good grief. Then it’s the pitcher – throws only FB, goes to 3-2 then walks him. Same ol Happ. Fortunately, Orlando Cabrera GO on the next pitch. Only 37 pitches now – but I guess it’s an improvement. Like WOW!!!

I guess I should mention that I am shocked to see that Millsie-poo played Jordan Schafer against a lefty pitcher. I mean, what is going on here? And he’s playing Bourgeois in right instead of Jason Eff Michaels. I mean, I had to look twice, I mean, no Jason Michaels? The sky is falling!!!

3rd inning – FO, single, GIDP.

Downsie is having a lousy game (he’s playing 3rd tonight – you know, Paredes hits mostly from the left) – a GIDP and then he screws up a hitnrun and Clank is dead meat at second.

4th inning – 2 Ks and a flyout. 62 pitches. Do I dare think that Burt Hooton might could have straightened him out? (Real pitching coaches are good?)

5th inning – nope. First, a ROE on an easy GB that Barmes let clank of his glove, a sac bunt, a 4 pitch walk, then Keppinger has a 9 pitch AB and Happ throws a FB down the middle and Kepp drives it into the LF gap and 2 runs are in. Then a FO, then another 4 pitch walk (the second one this inning) and finally a GO. 28 pitch innng – up to 90 pitches.

Same Happ, different game.

Astros still haven’t scored, by the way.

6th inning – GO, GO, FO – 6 pitches. Go figure.

Stros break up the shutout – Downs is hit on the foot, then Altuve singles, then Stewart, the Giants catcher, tries to pick Downs off second, but the catcher throws the ball into CF, so both runners move up. Barmes hits an RBI grounder, Q singles, Altuve to third. Of course, we need a pinch hitter, and NATURALLY, it’s Jason Michaels – hey, the game is on the line. Why not the worst? But it’s Bogu to the plate and he Ks on a 3-2 pitch. Might as well have been JMike. Schafer GO stranding runners at first and third.

So all in all, not a bad job by J – lasted 6 innings, 96 pitches, 4 hits, 4 walks, 2 K, 1 ER, 2 R. Better than he had done in like weeks.

Aneury pitches the 7th – popup, FO, FO.  Then the Astros go 1,2,3 in the top of the 8th.

Aneury comes out to start the bottom of the 8th, gives up a walk, gets a K. Then of course Millsie-poo didn’t trust Aneury to get a lefty out, so it’s in with Wesley, who gets the lefty, then David Carpenter, who gets the last out.

9th – Brian Wilson is on the DL, so Santiago Casilla in to close – Giants bullpen is KILLAH – one of the reasons they have a winning record in spite of having the lousiest hitting in the NL. And he gets 1,2,3 out.

Series tied up. Poor Happ – one of the few times he didn’t suck and he gets the L anyway.

Tomorrow, we face lefty Eric Surkamp, just up from AA. He was the Giants’ 6th round pick in 08. He has a 2.02 ERA/1.08 WHIP over 142 IP: 10.4 K/9, 7 H/0 and 2.8 BB/9. You notice how well the Giants develop pitchers year after year after year?

Bourgeois has been slumping lately – hope this doesn’t mean we’re gonna be stuck with JMike.

Tags: Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants

This entry was posted on Friday, August 26th, 2011 at 10:51 pm and is filed under Henry Sosa, J.A. Happ. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.