Lance and Pudge are both getting a break today, and with the off day tomorrow, both should be ready to go for the start of the Atlanta series.

 

So, here is tonight’s sweep seeking starting 9:

Matsui

Bourn

Tejada

Lee

Pence

Blum

Erstad

Towles

Paulino

 

Pudge has been the man as of late so hopefully the rest of our offense picks up the slack.

 

Come on Felipe!!!

 

Let’s Go Stros!

Just heard on the radio that Valverde will hit the dl retroactive as of yesterday.

 

Jeff Fulchino has been called up from Round Rock.

 

 

I think this is a good move even though it is going to put a little pressure on our bullpen.  Valverde has got to be healthy and this is the best way to get him healthy.

Wandy Rodriguez looks to continue his quality start streak tonight up against Aaron Harrang.

 

Tonight’s 9:

Berkman
Lee

Pence

 

Houston looks for their first 3 game win streak of the season tonight.

 

Let’s go Wandy!

 

Let’s go Stros!

Houston 4

Cinci 1

 

Man, what does a guy gotta do to get a W around here? Apparently be a relief pitcher.

 

Houston’s offense was slumbering aside from a Berkman bomb in the 6th.  The O finally woke up in the 9th with 3 hits and 3 runs, two singles from Lee and Miggy respectively and then a 2 run double from Hunter Pence who ended up on 3rd after a fielding error from Jay Bruce.

 

Hitting Line:

Matsui 1-4, K

Bourn 1-4, 2B, K

Berkman 1-3, HR, RBI, BB, K

Lee 1-4, GIDP, R

Tejada 3-4, R (Guess I was wrong, sorry Coop.)

Pence 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R, K

Blum 0-3, RBI, Sac Fly

Rodriguez 0-4, K

Oswalt 1-3

 

Pitching Line:

Roy Oswalt

7 IP, 6 H, 2 K, BB, 1 ER

Tim Byrdak

.2 IP, 1 H

Chris Sampson

1.1 IP, 1 H, K, (w)

 

Good News: Berkman’s bomb opposite field is a good sign, however, you will know when Lance is feeling comfortable again when he starts to hit doubles.

Starting Pitching was also very good tonight and our bullpen was great the past two games.

Defensively the Astros played well turning 3 double plays. Hat tip to Pudge Rodriguez who made two great plays coming out from behind the dish to throw runners out at 1st.

 

Bad News: Our offense was non-existent until the top of the 9th.  It would be nice if the offense could produce with some consistency and get our starting pitching more wins.

 

Chris Sampson W (2-0)

 

Houston has Wandy Rodriguez, who has been great so far this season, on the bump to take on Aaron Harrang tomorrow in game two of this three game series.

 

Houston 8-12

Cinci 10-9

Roy Oswalt is looking for his first win of the season tonight against his favorite team to pitch against, the Cincinnati Reds, who will send Johnny Cueto to the mound.

 

Todays starting 9:

 

Matsui

Bourn

Berkman

Lee

Tejada

Pence

Blum

Rodriguez

Oswalt

 

Dear Cecil Cooper, please move Miguel Tejada back to the 2 hole.

 

Thanks.

From JJO at chron.com:

 

 

Maybe Valverde should have just taken the Brew Crew series off. 

Ok, I’ve been MIA since the Stros Brew-Crew game Friday.  Just took a weekend off from baseball after the game Friday which I may or may not post pictures of. 

 

Here is what we missed:

Houston lost the series to Milwaukee 2 games to 1.

 

During Friday’s game Humberto Quintero was plowed over by Mike Cameron during a “play at the plate” that everyone says was a clean baseball move.  Dude was out by a mile but then again I’m not a ballplayer.  I was at the game and the collision was pretty devastating. J.R. Towles game up from Round Rock to take Q’s spot until he comes off the DL.

 

Houston lost an extra inning game in which Pudge and Coop got ejected on Saturday but took the game on Sunday.

 

Doug Brocail is off the disabled list and back in the Astros‘ pen while Jose Valverde is playing on one leg…not sure how much longer he will be doing that.

 

Geoff Geary is struggling…still.

 

Brian Moehler and Brandon Backe hitting the rehab circuit. What’s going to happen when they come off the DL?  BTW, the only time Moehler has pitched in AAA is on rehab starts.

While links are abound, here are a few media related links to chew on:

 

Richard Justice says not to worry about Lance.  Easy for him to say.

 

Chip Bailey hopes that Cinci is the answer for Roy and Lance’s struggles.

 

Houston opens up a series with the Reds today.  Game preview coming soon.

Tough loss for Houston.  They battled but just couldn’t mount an attack against the duo of Billingsley and Broxton. 

 

Wandy Rodriguez pitched another great game and is one of 3 pitchers in the majors with 4 quality starts.  The offense couldn’t string any hits together.

 

Hitting line:

Matsui 0-3, Sac bunt

Tejada 2-4, 2B

Berkman 0-4, GIDP, K

Lee 0-4, 2 K

Blum  0-3, BB, K

Erstad 1-4, K

Rodriguez 0-2, BB, GIDP

Bourn  1-2, BB, SB

Wandy Sac Bunt

Michaels 0-0 HBP

Pence 0-1, (lined out on a hard hit ball to short)

 

Pitching Lines:
Wandy Rodriguez 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K’s, 2 BB

Geoff Geary 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, K

Wesley Wright 1IP, 1 H

 

Good News: Wandy Rodriguez had another quality start to make it his fourth out of 4 starts.  That’s about it.  Geary pitched better even though he gave up 1 run.

 

Bad News: Houston’s offense was non-existent tonight.

 

Tough night for Houston.  They just flat out got beat.  Great pitching performance by L.A.

 

Wandy Rodriguez (1-2)

 

Houston starts a series against Milwaukee tomorrow night at 7:05 with Felipe Paulino facing Yovani Gallardo at 7:05 and I’ll be there.  Can’t wait!

 

Dodgers 2

Stros 0

Houston has already won this series and has a chance for their first series sweep of the season and their first 3 game win streak.

 

Tonight’s 9 versus the righty Billingsley:

Berkman
Lee

Rodriguez

 

Darin Erstad will get his first start of the season for Hunter Pence, who hit a monster two run jack last night, for his first start of the season.

 

Can Wandy and the offense keep it up for the sweep?

 

Let’s go Wandy!

Let’s go Stros!

Boy was this a long game.

 

Houston 8

Dodgers 5

 

After Ortiz struggled through the first I thought we were gonna be in trouble tonight.  However, Ortiz battled and got his first win in nearly two years.

 

The Astros bullpen did well aside from Jeff Fulchino giving up a 2 run shot to Manny who actually didn’t stand at the plate.

 

Carlos Lee hit a monster 2 run shot and Houston performed much better with RISP this evening.

 

Jose Valverde came in with a the run lead and gritted through the inning to get his first save. Gutsy performance by Jose.

 

Good performance up and down the line up tonight. Hunter Pence was the only Astros to not reach base.

 

Matsui 1-2, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB

Tejada 2-5, 3 RBI,  R, K

Berkman 1-4, RBI, K

Lee 2-4, 2 Run HR, 2 RBI, R

Pence 0-4, K

Michaels 1-3, 2B, BB

Rodriguez 2-4, 3 R

Keppinger 2-3, R, HBP

Ortiz 0-1, Sac Bunt

Bourn 0-0, Sac Bunt

 

Matsui, Tejada, and Lee were the stand outs for tonights offense but Rodriguez and Keppinger were also major cogs as well.

 

Pitching Lines:
Russ Ortiz

5 IP, 5 BB, 3 Hits, 3 ER, 2 K

Wesley Wright

1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER

Jeff Fulchino

1 IP, 2 H, BB, HR, 2 ER, BB

1IP, 1 H, 0 ER

Jose Valverde

1 IP, 1H, 1 Error, BB, 2 K, first save

 

Good News: Haven’t been able to say this much this season but the offense.  Great job getting key hits and driving in runs, giving Ortiz his first win of the season.  Carlos Lee hit his second home run in as many games.

 

Bad News: Seems like Houston has left the bases loaded at least once the last few games.  Bullpen was a little rough but better.

 

Russ Ortiz W (1-0)

Jose Valverde S (1)

 

Tomorrow Houston has their ace on the mound in Roy Oswalt and he will face Randy Wolf. Game time 7:05 Central

 

Great win tonight for Houston who end the Dodgers streak.

 

Houston (5-9)

L.A. (10-4)