GAME 41 - May 14: Stinky Cheese

Houston 6, San Francisco 3

Quote of the Day: "I actually said, 'He's trying to sneak some cheese by the rat.' You don't sneak cheese by guys that hit the fastball." (Cooper, on Tejada's go-ahead RBI at bat)

This one started out with a bang: Matsui singled, then stole second, and scored on Tejada's RBI single. Then Berkman launched one into center field for his 14th homer, giving the Astros a 3-0 lead in the first. When Moehler (still subbing for Wandy) had a 1-2-3 inning, I entertained a fleeting fantasy: Maybe the Astros would have that big blowout win, and I could just sit back and enjoy a stress-free game while they coast to victory.

Hah! Moehler's three singles, one home run, and one throwing error allowed the Giants to come back to tie it up in the bottom of the second inning. Meanwhile, the Astros didn't do diddlysquat to better the scoreboard for the next 5 innings. So it was that after 6 innings it was tied 3-3, and once again, the Astros starting pitcher left the game without a decision.

Things got better in the 7th inning, when Cruz Jr walked to open the inning. (Actual hits are rare, but Cruz does have a patient demeanor at the plate, and manages to walk now and then.) He advanced to second on Bourn's sac bunt, then scored on Tejada's second RBI single of the game, to give the Astros a 4-3 lead.

The Astros bullpen was phenomenal again - six of them combined to pitch 4 scoreless innings to finish off the game after Moehler came out: Byrdak, Villareal, Wright, Geary, Brocail, and Valverde. But back in the 8th inning, it wasn't a done deal that Houston's precarious one-run lead would be enough. Pence opened the inning with a single, and - don't faint - Ausmus hit a 2-run homer (his first of the season) to make the lead a little more comfortable. It was amusing to watch the scene in the bullpen afterwards, as the team gave Ausmus the rookie treatment: They totally ignored him for a minute or two, before reverting to the usual ritual headbashing and knuckle kisses. The three-run lead was more than enough to give the Astros another late inning (but not CFB) win.

Berkman's home run was his only hit of the game - lowering his batting average (a rare occurrence) to .388. But the home run put him on top of the majors in that category. Tejada was 3 for 5 with the two RBIs that counted - the first one and the one that put them in the lead to stay. Pence got a pair of hits, raising his batting average to a very respectable .287. I will be very surprised if he isn't in the threes pretty soon.

Some guys get all the luck. Starting pitchers work their butts off and leave with no decision, then some reliever gets lucky, makes the last out of the inning before the Astros take the lead, and bingo: Instant W! This time it was Villareal who pitched 4 pitches to one batter to end the sixth, just in time for the Astros to get ahead in the seventh.

Fun and games, as the Astros win 5 out of 6 in this road trip, after winning 5 out of 6 at home. As long as it lasts, I am lovin' it!