GAME 110 - August 3: Clean Sweep!

Houston 4, New York 0

Overly Dramatic Quote of the Day: "I lost about 8 years of my life." (Randy Wolf, on his 4th and 5th inning scares)

It hadn't happened in fifteen years, not since the '93 season. That was the last time the Astros had swept the Mets in a series. It was worth waiting for - a sweet sweep.

In Randy Wolf's first start last week, the Astros ultimately won the game, but he hadn't made it through 5 innings to qualify for the win. Today, in his first Houston home game, he lasted just long enough to get the win - 5 shutout innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 walks, and striking out 7. It was hardly a lights out performance with so many base runners, but Wolf managed to wiggle out of trouble every inning. He gave up a single to Beltran in the first inning, but caught him in a rundown. In the third, a bunt single and a walk put two runners on, but a strikeout, a caught foul ball, and a runner caught stealing ended the threat. In the fourth inning, Wolf loaded the bases with one out on a walk, a single, and a hit batsman, but then struck out the next two batters to get out of trouble. Three singles in the fifth loaded up the bases with Evil Mets, but again Wolf managed to get out of it without anyone scoring.

Continuing a very encouraging trend, the bullpen was terrific again. Sampson threw 2 scoreless innings, Wright pitched to one batter in the eighth, then Brocail finished up, and Valverde closed in the non-save situation. The Astros starters have not exactly been eating innings lately, but the bullpen has come through inning after inning. In the 11 innings of relief pitching in this series, not one run has scored.

Mark Loretta has been terrific in this series and Coop would have liked to play him, but he was too beat up from the train wreck at home plate last night. So Wiggington started at third in today's game, a choice that the fans heartily approved of when he led off the second inning with a home run. In the fourth inning, the two heavies Berkman and Lee made quick outs, but then back-to-back doubles from Wiggington and Pence scored one run, Erstad's RBI single plated a second one, and Quintero's double knocked in a third. This gave the Astros the 4-0 lead that they held onto to complete the sweep.

The score might have been a bit higher but for some base running gaffes. Both Pence and Lee hit long singles, that they tried - and failed - to turn into doubles. Erstad was out at third trying to get an extra base out of a throwing error. These didn't make a difference in the outcome of this game, and one might laud them for being aggressive. After all, it was Pence's crazy base running on Saturday night that allowed the Astros to tie the game in the ninth. But there was another base running glitch in Saturday night's game, when Pence was doubled off second. It might be something for Coop to look into.

On a more positive note, today's game was the 8th in a row in which the Astros have homered. A nice trend. It would be nice if Berkman could join that party - I think that this is the longest homer-less streak in his career.

This sweep gives Houston its 5th series win in the last 6, dating back to the Washington series before the All Star Game. (The only one they have lost since then was the Pirate sweep.) In addition, having won 7 of their last 9 games, the Astros are now 4 games under .500. They are still 13 games behind the division-leading Cubs, but there's no sense watching what the other teams are doing until the Astros get to .500. But we could be there in another week, if they keep up the good work.