GAMES 30-32: Sweeping the Padres on Madres Day

May 8: Astros 2, Padres 0
May 9: Astros 5, Padres 4
May 10: Astros 12, Padres 5

It's hard to pick the best thing about this weekend's series with the San Diego Padres. Was it the sweep - the first 3-game sweep of the season? Was it the Wizard finally getting his first win of the year? Was it the season high 12 runs in the Mother's Day win? Or maybe Wandy's eight innings of shutout pitching on Friday night?

I think I'll go with the last one. I've been predicting Wandy's Big Year all season, and so far he's been coming through in a big way. Game 1 on Friday night was his best start yet: 8 scoreless innings, just 5 hits, no walks, and 7 strikeouts. It was not at all apparent in the first inning that Wandy was going to have such a great game: With one out he had runners on second and third, and the heart of the lineup coming to bat. A groundball to third - two down. Then Chase Headley hit a long fly ball to center. It looked like extra bases for sure until Bourn snagged it in an amazing over-the-shoulder catch that left him lying on Tal's Hill - with the ball still in his glove. The pattern recurred in the second inning: Runners on second and third with one down. And again Wandy pitched his way out of trouble. After that, however, he did not allow a single base runner until there were two outs in the seventh, retiring 16 batters in a row. He then came back to throw a perfect eighth. The eight scoreless innings pushed Wandy's ERA down to 1.80, third lowest in the NL.

It was slim pickins for the Astros Friday night - their only runs scored on Pence's two-out 2-run single. The Astros only managed to get 5 hits in the game, and 4 belonged to Pence and Lee. Hawkins pitched a perfect ninth for the save. I watched this game late Saturday night after the Sabbath.

Game 2 of the series, on Saturday evening, was even closer. I tuned in after the Sabbath ended, just in time to see the Astros lose a 3-1 lead. Moehler had a good start, throwing 7 innings, giving up only 1 run on 5 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 6. But as soon as he came out in the eighth, Geary, Arias, Wright, and Hawkins combined efforts to give up 3 more runs, putting the Astros behind 4-3. Too bad for Moehler; excellent start but no decision.

Happily the Astros came back in the bottom of the eighth. Bourn and Pence both walked to lead off the inning. Lee singled to score Bourn, tying the game, moving Pence to third. Tejada grounded to the pitcher. In a crazy and lucky move, Pence took off for home and scored what turned out to be the winning run. With the Astros now ahead 5-4, Hawkins came in to close in the ninth. He gave up a double to ex-Astro Chris Burke, but then retired the side, no harm done.

In Game 3, Roy Oswalt didn't pitch as well as either Wandy or Moehler - in 6 innings he gave up 4 runs - all scored on home runs. The game didn't do anything good for his ERA, but it made a big improvement in his win record: it was his first win of the season. It would have been hard for Oswalt NOT to have won this game, as his teammates went on a rare all-out hitting spree. They scored a season record 12 runs on 16 hits. Special kudos go to El Caballo who hit 3 for 4, including a homer, with 4 RBIs and 2 runs. Tejada was 3 for 5, with 4 RBIs, scoring twice. Pudge went 4 for 4, with a triple and a homer.

Meanwhile, Berkman was 0 for 0 - he didn't play. He's recovering from a sore left writst, a minor injury received on a checked swing on Thursday night. He's day to day. In worse news, Brocail's injury is worse than initially expected - he may not be back until after the All Star Break, or even later.

Oh well, let's think good thoughts, and cheer for the Astros to keep up the winning streak as they head out to Colorado.