GAME 12: Astros Win First Series!

GAME 12 - April 18: Astros 3, Cubs 2

WHAT A GREAT GAME! My heart's still going pitter-pat, I'm juiced on excitement and a bit of excellent Israeli fume blanc. The Astros won the game today, earning their first series win, and extending their winning streak to TWO GAMES! That may sound puny to Yankee fans, but considering where we're coming from, it's HUGE to us.

Between afternoon games while I'm at work and Sabbath games while I'm not online, I hadn't actually seen a winning game live before today. For both of the previous wins, I already knew the outcome when I watched the game. But I watched this one live, and experienced real heart-pounding excitement for the first time this season. The Astros came from behind, tied it up, went into extra innings, took the lead, and didn't screw it up -- all in one game! What more could a Fan in Exile (or any Astros fan) ask for?

Not to be too critical, but we might have wished that they'd done their heroics just a teensy bit earlier, while Wandy was still the pitcher of record. Mind you, I'm not complaining. I'm just kind of sorry for Wandy, who pitched his best game of the season and didn't get the win. Seven innings, two runs on 6 hits and 1 walk, 3 Ks. But the Astros didn't score their first run until the eighth. They even threatened to tie it up or better - there were two runners on base when Feliz struck out looking to end the inning.

But Wandy's probably not complaining either - the Astros were shut out in his first two starts, and he was still on the hook for the loss right up until the ninth inning today. But with Cubs closer Marmol on the mound, Pence singled and stole second. The Blum hit a double to score Pence, tying the game 2-2. That got Wandy out of the running for a loss.

Wandy had terrific support today from the bullpen, which kept the Cubs from adding on to the two runs they had scored back in the third inning. Moehler, who hadn't seen action in more than a week, pitched a perfect eighth, giving the Astros space to catch up. Byrdak got two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth, then walked two batters. Pitter pat, pitter pat, went my heart. That's about when I poured my first glass of wine. The next batter flied out to end the inning still tied, and the game went into extra innings.

Extra innings!  To get into extra innings, you have to NOT be losing hideously after nine! We were tied.

Top of the tenth: It was the perfect opportunity to score, with the pitcher's spot leading off and our two most consistent hitters, Bourn and Kepp, to follow. Jason Michaels' pinch hit double started us off perfectly. He advanced to third on Bourn's sac bunt. Thinking that the Astros were going for the squeeze, the Cubs threw a couple of pitchouts, then intentional walked Keppinger to set up for a double play. But Feliz - who had popped out, grounded out twice, and struck out looking in his previous at bats - managed to bop the first pitch into center field. Redemption! JMike scored to give the Astros a 3-2 lead. That brought up Carlos Lee. In a fairy tale ending, El Caballo would finally find his swing and launch a powerful blast into the bleachers, despite the wind blowing in. In the actual game, Lee flied out to right field, this last activity of a 0 for 5 day. Mills did a double swap to bring in Matt Lindstrom in Lee's spot and JMike moved to left field for the bottom of the inning.

Happily, today Lindstrom looked a whole lot like a closer protecting a one-run lead. The first batter, pinch hitter Mike Fontenot, struck out on 3 pitches, just gawking at the curve ball that was called strike 3. Then back to the top of the Cubs lineup. Theriot got 2 strikes, then 3 balls, a foul, and then watched a fastball go by for called strike 3. Two down, with heavy hitter Marlon Byrd at the plate. Byrd, who was credited with the 2 Cubs runs, singled to bring up a very dangerous Derreck Lee - 0 for 4 and hungry. Two balls (no, no, no, don't give him anything good to hit!), then three strikes... and you're out! Striking out the side is such a closerly thing to do. Nice work, Lindstrom!

Nice work, Astros! I don't think that Wandy is actually complaining. At least he didn't get stuck with another loss for his good start this time. The person who was really cheated was Cubs starter Ryan Dempster, who pitched into the 8th inning, giving up only 1 run on 4 hits and striking out 8, then watched his closer blow the save. But hey, tough luck. I'm certainly not complaining.

Day off tomorrow. Tuesday, back in Houston, to continue The Streak against the Fish.