The Houston Astros were blown out by the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night by the score of 14-2. This is a game that the Astros just need to forget about and start thinking about Thursday’s game. The Astros have now lost three games in a row as they are having trouble staying in the wild card race.

Brandon Backe was terrible on the mound as he only lasted 1 2/3 innings. Backe gave up six hits and five runs including two home runs in the game. Backe took the loss after getting shelled and is now 9-13. The bullpen wasn’t very good either as Jack Cassel gave up one run, Fernando Nieve three runs, and Dave Borkowski five runs. It was a bad night to be a Astros pitcher.

The only offense for the Astros on the night came from Hunter Pence. Pence hit two solo home runs in the game. I can’t really fault the offense to much however as the pitching staff put the offense in a huge hole.

Thursday’s game is pretty much a must win in my opinion. If the Astros lose Thursday’s game, I think you can pretty much pack things in.

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Blah, so much for a even two game series against the Cubs up in Milwaukee. First off the crowd is 99% cubs fans, so the Astros were already at a disadvantage, and then add in the fact that the team is so tired, it is no wonder why they struggled in both of the games.

In the two games, the Astros only had one hit. Yeah, they were no hit my Carlos Zambrano on Sunday night, but I figured they would have a good shot on Monday. However, Ted Lilly gave up one hit in seven innings of action as the Astros struggled once again at the plate. One hit simply won’t get it done against the Cubs.

Brian Moehler took the loss as he was charged with six hits and five runs. Moehler gave up two home runs as well in the game. Chris Sampson also gave up a home run in the game and was charged with one run. Just another bad day for the Astros pitchers.

Now the Astros find themselves 2.5 games behind the Brewers and Phillies in the wild card race. The Astros need to have a good series against the Florida Marlins before they play a weekend series against the Pirates.

Stay positive Astros fans, the teams needs some confidence and we have to give them some help.

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The Houston Astros got the best of the Pittsburgh Pirates once again as they beat them on Wednesday night. This time it was by the score of 7-4 as the Astros won for the third straight time in the four game series. The Astros continue to play some aswesome baseball as they try everything they can do to get into the playoffs.

Brian Moehler picked up the win for the Astros after tossing the first six innings of the game. Moehler gave up five hits and two runs as he improved his record to 11-6. Wesley Wright had some trouble in the game as he allowed two runs to score as well. Jose Valverde notched the save which was hit 42nd of the year.

Miguel Tejada had the big hit for the Astros when he hit a grand slam in the sixth inning. Tejada led the Cubs with four rbi. Hunter Pence finished with a two-run home run and two rbi in the game while Darin Erstad also added one rbi.

Astros will try to go for the sweep on Thursday. I think they will get it! Astros Blog

The Houston Astros got five shutout innings from Alberto Arias and went onto beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Monday night. It was a great start to the series for the Astros as the improved to 77-67 on the year.

The two runs that the Pirates did score came off of Wesley Wright in the sixth inning. He gave up rbi singles in the inning. Other then Wright’s two runs, the rest of the pitching staff pitched great. Doug Brocail, Chris Sampson, LaTroy Hawkins, and Jose Valverde all threw out of the bullpen after Wrigth was taken out. Valverde finished things up in the ninth inning for his 41st save of the season.

All three of the Astros runs came in the fifth inning when they were finally able to get to Pirates starting pitcher Ian Snell. Snell gave up a solo home run to Saccomanno and then Miguel Tejada and and Lance Berkman knocked in a run each with rbi singles.

The offense was lucky that the pitching staff threw the ball so well as they struggled against the Pirates pitchers. A win is a win however, and right now the the Astros need every win they can get.

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What a great series for the Houston Astros as they swept the Chicago Cubs in a three game series at Wrigley Field. The Cubs had one their past 11 series and had been playing good baseball at home but the Astros took the wind right out of them from the get go and never looked back.

On Wednesday night, Randy Wolf tossed a complete game shutout as the Astros completed the three game sweep with a 4-0 victory. Wolf kept the Cubs hitters off balanced at the plate as he struck out eight batters and only walked two. Wolf is now 9-11 on the season after picking up the win.

Humberto Quintero got the Astros scoring started in the second inning with a rbi single that scored Hunter Pence. The big shot of the game came in the fifth inning when Ty Wigginton hit a two run home run off of Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster. David Newhan scored the Astros fourth run in the ninth inning when Michael Bourn was caught in a run down between first and second base and Newhan beat Ryan Theriot’s throw to homeplate.

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The Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds just finished up a three game series that saw the Astros take two out of three games. On Thursday in the rubber game, the Astros defeated the Reds by the score of 3-2. It was a good series win for the Astros who have about a month left in the season to improve on their 68-66 record.

Brad Backe earned the win after throwing 6 2/3 innings. Backe gave up six hits and two runs while picking up his ninth win of the season. The Astros bullpen did a great job to hold the Reds to the two runs that Backe gave up. Doug Brocail, LaTroy Hawkins, and Jose Valverde all threw out of the pen for the Astros. Valverde finished the game up and picked up his 35th save.

All three of the Astros runs in the game via the home run ball as they hit three solo shots off the Reds pitchers. Ty Wigginton got things started with his homerun in the first inning and then in the fifth it was Humberto Quintero’s turn to go deep. The third home run came from Wigginton in the sixth inning as he finished with two home runs and two rbi. Great day for Ty at the plate!

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Wow what a butt kicking the Houston Astros received from the New York Mets on Monday night. The Astros and Mets opened up a series in New York and it was the Mets kicking the Astros butt by the score of 9-1. Two homeruns from Carlos Delgado fueld the big game for the Mets as the Astros pitchers just didn’t have it going for them.

Three different Astros pitchers combined to give the nine runs. Starting pitcher Brian Moehler was tagged for six hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings. Moehler gave up the first home run to Delgado who hit a three run shot off of Moehler. Relief pitcher Wesley Wright pitched the next 1 2/3 innings and gave up two hits and three runs including the second three run home run to Delgado. Doug Brocail finished up the terrible pitching night for the team by giving up two more hits and runs in the eighth inning.

There isn’t a whole lot to blog about for the offense as they only scored one run in the game. In the top of the ninth inning, Ty Wigginton grounded out to first base and David Newhan scored.

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The Houston Astros were unable to beat the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday and take two out of three games in the series as they lose 5-2 in Milwaukee. The Astros were right in the game until the seventh inning when they allowed the Brewers to score two runs and extend their lead.

Wandy Rodriguez ended up with the loss as he was charged with three hits and allowed three runs to score through 5 1/3 innings. Wandy had a problem with is location as he walked five batters in the game. Wesley Wright was charged with one run when he allowed a base runner on and then Doug Brocail gave up a two run home run to J.J. Hardy in the seventh inning.

Both of the Astros runs came in the fourth inning when Geoff Blum and Reggie Abercrombi had rbi singles.  It was pretty bad that the offense played as bad as they did. They should have scored more runs then two as the Brewers scored five runs on only four hits. Just one of those games I suppose.

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The Houston Astros rallied on Thursday afternoon as they came from behind to beat the visiting San Francisco Giants by the score of 6-4. Lance Berkman clubbed a two run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning that broke a 4-4 tie and put the Astors up 6-4. Humberto Quintero then added another run on a single that made the score 7-4.

Darin Erstad had tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a rbi single. Berkman finished the game with three rbi while Erstad and Geoff Blum both chipped in with one rbi each. It was nice to see more then one player contributing at the plate and that is exactly what the team has been doing during this winning streak.

Brian Moehler was the starting pitcher and he pitched into the sixth inning but was taken out after throwing 5 1/3 innings. Moehler allowed eight hits and four runs including one home run his outing as he received a no decision. LaTroy Hawkins earned the victory and is now 1-0 since coming to the Astros. Jose Valverde had no problems in the ninth inning as he recorded his 30th save of the season.

The Astros will now have a tough six game stretch as they play the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers. How do you think they will do over the next six games? I’m thinking 2-4.

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Carlos Lee hit a grand slam in the fifth inning off of Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo and the Astros went onto defeat the Reds by the score of 6-2.  The Astros have now won the first two games of the three game series and will be going for the sweep on Wednesday.  The way they are playing compared to the Reds, I think they will get that sweep!

Besides Lee going deep for the grand slam in the fifth inning, Miguel Tejada had a solo home run in the third inning.  The first run for the Astros came in the second inning when Hunter Pence tripled to deep center and Lee scored.  Those three swings of the bat were all the Astros needed because the pitchers shut down the Reds for the most part.

Brian Moehler came within one out of recording a complete game but still got the win.  Moehler pitched great as he gave up two runs on seven hits.  Moehler now has a 6-4 record on the season.  Wesley Wright came in to record the final out and record his first save of the season.

Let’s sit back and watch the Astros on Wednesday as they go for the sweep!  Astros Baseball