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

The scoop from stros.com:

Carlos Lee…er the Stros at the plate: “Michael Bourn opened the game with a triple and scored on Pudge Rodriguez’s base hit. Carlos Lee lifted a sacrifice fly to score Rodriguez, who had advanced to third on Darin Erstad’s double. Lee drove in another run in the third with a double. Jason Smith led off the fifth with a double and scored on a Rodriguez base hit. Lee knocked a two-run homer in the seventh.”

More of this please. Thank you. Carlos could have won the game on his own with his four steaks.

Stros on the bump: “Russ Ortiz, the projected fifth starter, allowed three runs — two earned — on five hits over six innings. ”

Alyson Footer gives the 5th spot to Ortiz and I don’t think anyone else disagrees.

And the Houston Astros Grapefruit league record is: *drum roll please*

10-18-3

Double digit wins!

Houston won todays contest against St. Louis 4-3.

Pudge Rodriguez went yard again today.  Hunter Pence and Jason Smith each went 3 for 4.  Michael Bourn walked twice, K’d once, and had the game winning RBI.

Russ Ortiz pitched well today going 5 innings and giving up 1 earned run while walking 2 ans striking out 4. Wesley Wright pitched a scoreless frame.

Make it six in a row for houston, pushing their Grapefruit wins to 7.

Houston blanked the Mets today while their offense produced 8 runs.  Here are the details from astros.mlb.com:

Stros at the plate: “Ivan Rodriguez hit his first spring homer, a solo shot in the fifth inning. The Astros scored six in that frame, with a timely contribution from Geoff Blum, who drove in three with a double. Michael Bourn singled and came all the way around to score on an error by Bobby Kielty.”

I-Rod goes yard and Blum is starting to show signs of life.  I could get used to this whole winning thing.  Hopefully come April it won’t be out of the ordinary.

Stros on the bump: “Wandy Rodriguez allowed two hits over four innings, walking two and striking out two. LaTroy Hawkins pitched one scoreless inning, as did Doug Brocail. ”

Glad to see Wandy, the rumored SP2, pitching and feeling well.

Houston’s Grapefruit League Record currently stands at 6-16-3.  Keep shooting for the double digits in the win column H-town!

You can now add 9 for 15 with two homers to the numbers of the Houston Astros catchers this spring with the soon-to-be signing of Pudge Rodriguez.

Here’s the news from Astros.mlb.com:”Ivan Rodriguez is expected to sign with the Astros, pending a physical exam that will be taken upon the completion of Puerto Rico’s participation in the World Baseball Classic.”

So let’s all hope Pudge doesn’t hurt himself in the classic.

Here are the specs for the deal:”The contract will be for one year at $1.5 million with another $1.5 million possible in incentive bonuses, ESPN.com reported. “  

Good acquisition for a good price.  Pudge doesn’t deserve to make more than that and Houston doesn’t have to concern themselves with the offensive hole at the catchers position…unless the Pudge from the New York Yankees shows up.

Thanks Uncle D-Mac.

According to Alyson Footer of astros.mlb.com, the Astros will not be signing Pudge Rodriguez.  When asked about the free agent catcher, this is what Ed Wade had to say:

“We’re not signing Pudge,” Wade said. “Put that one to rest. We have no expectation to sign Pudge.”

Can’t get much clearer than that.

A few links for some interesting columns of today:

Richard Justice looks at both sides of the Astros possibly signing Pudge Rodriguez.

Brian McTaggart gives his take on the risk of Roy Oswalt pitching in the World Baseball Classic.

Alyson Footer reports that Roy Oswalt will stand by Miguel Tejada.

Jose de Jesus Ortiz talks to Hunter Pence about the dangers of glass doors and the benefits of stickers on said glass doors.