GAMES 28-29: I Don't Want to Talk About It

May 6: Cubs 6, Astros 3
May 7: Cubs 8, Astros 5

Another rotten two game series. At least Minute Maid Park has a retractable roof. After being soaked in Atlanta and then in Washington, who knows what unmentionable molds and mildews the Astros were suffering from? I bet they were glad to be back home - at least until they were swept in the opening two-gae series. (Who made up the schedule this year? Is there anything more annoying than a bunch of two game series?)

Game 1 got off to a terrible start. Hampton gave up two singles and a walk, interspersed with a pair of fly-ball outs, to load the bases with two down. The next batter hit a looooonnnng fly to center. Bourn went after it, and laid out for the catch - but missed. It was a base clearing triple. Pudge allowed Hampton's next pitch to get away from him, allowing the runner to score to give the Cubs a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Hampton settled in after that, and pitched scoreless innings through the fifth. In the top of the sixth, however, another Cubs runner scored on a second passed ball, and that was it for Hampton's night. Although he only had 5 1/3 innings, he did pass one momentous milestone before Coop gave him the hook: He threw over 100 pitches, a rare feat for Astros starters these days. Not his best start though: He gave up 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks, striking out 4.

The bedraggled bullpen did a good job for the rest of the game. Arias, just up from Round Rock, relieved Hampton, pitching 1 1/3 innings, giving up a single run. Wright and Fulchino each pitched a perfect inning.

The Astros' offense wasn't anything to get excited over. They scored 3 runs on 8 scattered hits, including a homer by Berkman, his 7th of the year. Hampton, who has a history of being a good batter, hit an RBI single. But all together, the team could not put together enough runs to overcome those first inning difficulties.

Game 2's 8-5 score actually looks a lot closer than the game actually was. Going into the bottom of the ninth, the Cubs were ahead 8-2; the final score only looks close because the Astros added on 3 at the last minute. It was hardly a save situation.

Mysteriously, considering how badly the bullpen needed a rest, Coop outdid himself in pulling his starter early: He took out Ortiz after only 2 1/3 innings, with under 60 pitches. And no, Ortiz was not injured, except perhaps for his self-esteem. He hadn't been pitching a terrific game - at the time he was removed, he'd given up 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. The bases were loaded with one out. Byrdak, who relieved him, allowed one of Ortiz's runners to score before getting out of the inning. Out of the half dozen Astros on the mound, Sampson was the best by far: He pitched three perfect innings to eat up the middle of the ballgame. The bullpen goat was Paulino. Entering the ninth just two runs behind, 4-2, he gave up 4 runs on 3 singles, a double, a home run, and a pair of walks.

The Astros' offensive star of the game was Tejada, who's making a regular occasion out of multihit games. He was 3 for 4 , including a first inning 2-run homer, two doubles, and a single. Berkman was splendidly terrible - he was 0 for 5 with 4 strikeouts, including the out that ended the game. He had a fielding error, just to add to his misery.

What's worse that two-game series? Being swept in two-game series. And just to make it even a little more painful, the Astros also found out that Brocail's injury is a torn hamstring, and he'll be out for at least a month. He can go hang out with Valverde, who had fluid drained from his injured right calf - he will be out 3-5 weeks too.

I really don't want to talk about it any more.