Houston begins a two game series with the Chicago Cubs tonight in Houston with Mike Hampton on the bump facing Rich Harden.
Starting 9:
Matsui
Bourn
Berkman
Lee
Tejada
Pence
Blum
Rodriguez
Hampy
Brian Moehler was pulled after 1 2/3 innings and 7 earned runs. Moehler didn’t get any breaks as the Cubs had at least 3 broken bat singles in the first. Those days will happen. Russ Ortiz came in and immediately gave up a 3 run shot to Ryan Theriot. Although the line wont show it, Russ pitched well with 6 k’s in his first outing since 2007.
The story for tonight, other than Chicago scoring 4 runs in both the 1st and 2nd inning, was the bats for Houston. Jeff Keppinger (J-Kepp!), Lance Berkman, Kazuo Matsui, and Hunter Pence all hit solo shots with Pudge Rodriguez hitting a 2 run shot as well to account for 5 home runs and all Houston runs tonight.
Matsui 1-5, HR, RBI, R
Keppinger 2-5, HR, RBI, R
Berkman 1-4, HR, RBI, R, K
Lee 1-4, 2B (first hit for Lee)
Tejada 1-4, R
Pence 2-4, HR, 2B, R, RBI
Pudge 2-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Bourn 1-4, K
Good News: Houston’s offense was looking better with the 5 home runs. Russ Ortiz pitched well though he gave up 3 runs. Carlos Lee got his first hit and Bourn continues to hit. J-Kepp is proving to be a great pick up and seems as though he can do no wrong. Hunter Pence 2 homers in 2 games and is swinging the bat well. Michael Bourn will head to St. Louis with a 3 game hitting streak.
Bad News: Obvious here, Moehler only pitched 1 2/3 inning. He didn’t pitch poorly but the Cubs were putting the ball and play and getting hits. It will be interesting to see how Moehler bounces back.
Pitching Lines:
Brian Moehler 1 2/3 IP, 8 hits, BB, K, HBP, 7 earned.
Russ Ortiz 3 IP, 4 hits, 4 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 3 earned.
Chris Sampson 1 1/3 IP, 1 hit, 0 earned
Geoff Geary 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 K, 0 earned
Wesley Wright 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 K, 0 earned
Doug Brocail 1 IP, 1 hit, 1 HR, 1 BB, 1 earned.
Ted Lilly gives up 4 bombs and gets the win. (1-0)
Brian Moehler takes the loss. (0-1)
Houston is off tomorrow but will travel to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals Friday with Mike Hampton facing Joel Pineiro.
Today will decide who takes the series between the Cubs and the Stros.
Brian Moehler (0-0) is taking on the lefty Ted Lilly (0-0).
Cecil Cooper is posting his 2nd lineup today, which was to be expected against Lilly the lefty.
Matsui 2B
Keppinger 3B
Berkman 1B
Lee LF
Tejada SS
Pence RF
Pudge C
Bourn CF
I like this line up better. Not because Blum isn’t in it but because Pence is in the 6 hole and Pudge is in the 7 hole. I wouldn’t mind Pudge and Pence swapping spots in the right handed line up.
What am I looking for this game?: Carlos Lee to pick it up. He has yet to record his first hit and has grounded into a double play both games.
Let’s go Moehler! Let’s go Stros!
Game time: 7:05 central.
In a game that started with great pitching from Wandy Rodriguez and Ryan Dempster, the game was decided long after each player left the game. Jeff Keppinger, J-Kepp!, hit a walk off single with the bases loaded in his first at bat to drive in Pudge Rodriguez.
Hunter Pence homered for his first hit of the game going 2-3. Kazuo Matsui had a triple.
Matsui 1-3, 3B, SB, CS, BB
Rodriguez 1-4, BB, R, 3K
Berkman 1-4, BB, 2K
Lee 0-4, GIDP
Tejada 1-3, 2BB
Blum 2-4
Pence 2-3, BB, HR, RBI
Bourn 1-4, RBI
Michaels 0-1
Keppinger 1-1, RBI
Erstad 0-1, K
Great performance from Wandy Rodriguez:
6 IP, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 4 K (3 were soriano), 3 BB
Samspon:
1 IP, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 K, 0 BB
Hawkins:
1 IP, 2 hits, 1 HR, 1 earned run, 1 K, 0 BB
Valverde:
1 IP, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 2 K, 0 BB
Byrdak:
2/3 IP, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 2 K, 0 BB
Brocail:
1/3 IP, 0 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 K, 0 BB
Overall good performance for the Houston pitchers tonight aside from Hawkins dinger to Soriano who had been shut down by Wan-Rod.
Brocail gets the win.
Good News: Houston is back at .500 with good pitching and a walk off knock from Jeff Keppinger. Atta’boy J-Kepp! Tejada also is swinging the bat well this series.
Bad News: 3 K’s for Pudge and Lee is still o’fer on the season with two GIDP.
Houston wil play Chicago again tomorrow at 7:05 central to determine who takes the series.
Ted Lilly (0-0) V. Brian Moehler (0-0)
1. Kaz Matsui 2B
2. Ivan Rodriguez C
3. Lance Berkman 1B
4. Carlos Lee LF
5. Miguel Tejada SS
6. Geoff Blum 3B
7. Hunter Pence RF
8. Michael Bourn CF
9. Wandy Rodriguez P
So I guess Coop likes Blum in the 6 hole and Pence in the 7. Keeps the line up R, L, R, L in the bottom. However, unless Blum can get on base I’m not sold.
Let’s go Wandy! Get us to .500
Cubs 4
Astros 2
Carlos Zambrano pitched just over 6 innings giving up only earned run and striking out 6. Roy Oswalt went 7 innings and gave up 3 earned runs including a leadoff home run by Alfonso Soriano, his 50th lead off dinger, and another home run by Aramis Ramirez to lead off the 2nd inning.
Houston struggled at the plate logging 8 hits but none for extra bases. Michael Bourn hit an infield single in 7th to score Miguel Tejada. Hunter Pence hit a sac fly in the 9th that also scored Tejada, who scored both of the Astros runs.
Matsui 1-3, BB
Rodriguez 0-4, 2K
Berkman 1-2, 2BB
Lee 0-4, GIDP
Tejada 3-4, K, CS, 2 R
Blum 1-3, BB
Pence 0-3, RBI, GIDP, K
Bourn 2-4, K
Good news: Roy pitched pretty well and hopefully will probably settle down on the home run tip. I doubt Roy is ever going to pitch a no-hitter in his career because he is such a strikeout/pitch to contact type power pitcher. Also, Bourn was 2-4.
Bad news: Pence, Lee, and Rodriguez did not look real good at the plate. I was surprised by how free swinging Pudge is.
Pitching Lines:
Roy Oswalt 7IP, 3 ER, 2 SO, 1BB (0-1)
Geoff Geary 2 IP, 1 ER, 2 SO, 1 BB
Houston takes on the Cubs again tomorrow at 7:05 with Wandy Rodriguez taking on Ryan Dempster.
Houston 0-1
1. Kaz Matsui 2B
2. Ivan Rodriguez C
3. Lance Berkman 1B
4. Carlos Lee LF
5. Miguel Tejada SS
6. Geoff Blum 3B
7. Hunter Pence RF
8. Michael Bourn CF
9. Roy Oswalt P
Pence is hitting 7th to keep Zambrano on his toes. I wonder how often this will happen.
Let’s go Roy!
Let’s go Stros!
This is easily the best prediction for the NL Central I have encountered so far. Here is what he has for Houston and where each team will finish:
“Houston Astros
Lance Berkman carries the big bat for the Astros. Photo: Icon SMI
The Astros tie up a good chunk of their core value wins in two players, Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt. Together they combine for 10.6 of the 28.6 value wins from 2008. Berkman is more than twice as good as the next nearest position player, beating Carlos Lee 6.9 to 3.4 in value wins. Oswalt isn’t quite that far ahead of Wandy Rodriguez, 3.7 to 2.7, but Wandy hasn’t been consistent through this career. If anything major happens to Lance or Roy, the Astros are in big trouble.
There is some upside in two of the younger hitters, Hunter Pence and Michael Bourn. Both posted very strong on-base averages in the minors, which neither of them have come close to in the majors. Pence adds power to that equation. If the two can get on base at around a .360 rate, they should bring this offense a bit closer to the Cubs. I just don’t believe there’s enough at the back of the rotation, however, to catch Chicago.”
Pretty much nails it. Hopefully this Berkman shoulder injury is a short term deal and Roy can stay healthy. I have a feeling Bourn is going to get on base more this season and Hunter Pence is going to be more productive offensively so maybe, just maybe, Houston can compete with Chi-town. I’m banking on the Wild Card if anything though.
Baseball Musings’ Predictions for the end of the year:
“Prediction
Here’s how I see the six teams finishing, with my chance of their winning the division:
The Cubs should win this division easily provided they stay healthy. Even with a couple of injuries they have enough depth to put together a very good season. The Cardinals should challenge for the wild card, but for the Astros, Brewers and Reds, they need unexpected players to post career years or some youngsters to really improve. It seems to me the excitement in the central this season will once again come from the wild card race rather than a close battle with the Chicago.”
I agree with his slotting the Astros 3rd. I think that it is definately going to be between them and St. Louis for the 2nd spot in the division and the possible wild card in the NL.
You can read the rest of David’s post here.
