GAME 119 - August 12: Slam Dunk!

Houston 12, San Francisco 4

Quote of the Day: "It was a weird game. It started out like a pitchers' duel and ended up like a blowout." (Berkman)

It's a good thing that no one can see me watching the Astros games on my computer. I really get into the game. I clap when they get a hit, jump up and down when they score a run. I do the little claw thing every time they show the Little Pumas. If anyone were watching, it would be pretty embarrassing. So I'm not going to say what I did when Lance Berkman hit his seventh inning grand slam.

What was predicted to be a fast-paced pitchers' duel between Roy O and the Giants' All Star pitcher Tim Lincecum didn't quite turn out that way. The game started out as expected, with relatively little offensive progress on either side into the fifth inning. The Astros were not doing well against Lincecum - they only had two hits, although they parlayed them into a pair of runs (one unearned), thanks to an error. Then in the bottom of the fifth, the Astros caught another lucky break (hopefully not literally) when Ausmus hit a sharp line drive that smacked the pitcher right in his knee. A few minutes later, Lincecum limped off the field and the Astros had a second chance against the Giants' bullpen.

Meanwhile, Oswalt was not having a clean game. He gave up a lot of hits, but managed to get out of most of his jams, allowing one run in three different innings. He loaded up the bases with no outs in the second inning on a walk, single and bunt single; then he got out of the inning with only one run scoring on a sac fly. Another run scored on a sac fly in the fifth when the bases were loaded with one out. Oswalt only had one 1-2-3 inning in the seven he pitched, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits, 3 walks, and 4 strikeouts. He almost didn't make it to the end of the seventh inning: After Oswalt allowed a couple of base hits, Cooper came out to chat with him on the mound. But Oswalt was allowed to continue, and finished off the inning without any problems.

So when Oswalt left the mound in the seventh, behind by a run in a 3-2 game, he was liable for the loss but still eligible for the win, if the Astros could score quickly. With Oswalt at 112 pitches and due to bat third, it was clear that he'd be replaced by a pinch hitter. If his teammates planned to help him get to double-digit wins tonight, this was their last chance.

Bourn, leading off, failed to bunt his way on - one down. Ausmus got on with a walk. Then Pence, pinch hitting for Oswalt, declined the opportunity to hit into a double play; instead he hit a single. Loretta walked to load the bases. Then Erstad hit the ball to left field. Pence, reading it as a base hit started to run towards third, while Ausmus, unsure, stayed close to third base. In a near repeat of a crazy play from a couple of weeks ago, Pence came in to home plate, literally on the heels of the runner in front of him. Both runners scored, giving the Astros a 4-3 lead. When this happened on August 2, Pence and Loretta both slid, taking out the Mets' catcher in a collision at the plate - but both runners were safe. This time was a lot less violent, with the same good outcome.

Tejada singled to load up the bases again, with only one out, bringing up Berkman, batting right-handed against the lefty pitcher. Berkman had struck out in his first two at bats, and after flying out in his third at bat, he'd flung his bat in frustration. He was overdue for a hit. At this point, the Little Pumas and I were doing the scratching paw thing. I couldn't hear them, but I'm sure that they were yelling the same thing that I was: Home Run! Grand Slam! I stood up in the kitchen and waved my invisible puma paws along with them: Home Run! Grand Slam! My dog Shana gave me a funny look; I guess she doesn't care for felines. The count went to 3 and 1. What was the poor pitcher to do? With the bases loaded there was no where to put Berkman; he had to throw to him. The Little Pumas and I were in a frenzy: Home Run! Grand Slam! The 3-1 pitch was just perfect for Berkman. He swung...

HOME RUN! GRAND SLAM!

You have to love a man who listens. I wonder if he was wearing his jersey that the Astronauts took to the space station when he launched that ball out of the field?

The Astros now led 8-3, and normally deadpan Roy O was high-fiving the guys in the bullpen. But they still weren't done. Blum launched a ball into deep left center; it was that close to being another home run. He settled for a double. But Wiggington launched the ball into the right field stand for a two-run homer to make it 10-3. The 8-run seventh was Houston's biggest-scoring inning this season.

Meanwhile, up in Boston, the Sox had blown a 10-0 first-inning lead over the Ranger; by the eighth inning they were tied 16-16. Seeing that on the scoreboard, the Astros clearly felt compelled to add on to their big lead. Pence led off the eighth with a solo homer. Loretta singled, and Tejada knocked him in with a double. The Astros now led 12-3.

The only way to lose now would be a complete meltdown of the bullpen. Sampson had done his usual good job in the eighth. Now Brydak was called on to close. (Who know what kind of havoc would result from giving Valverde the ball with a 9 run lead?! He probably wouldn't have been able to get his pulse over 60 until he'd made it into a save situation - then he'd strike out the side.) Byrdak gave up a solo homer, but finished up without any other excitement.

Other game factoids: Oswalt threw exactly 17 pitches in each of the first 5 innings. Erstad, that versatile fellow, played three different positions in this game: right field, left field, and first base. Reggie Abercrombie got a pinch-hit single. Pence, who didn't start the game, got his first base hit as a pinch hitter in the seventh; he stayed in the game and homered on his next at bat. Not bad for a day off...

I'm making a big deal about this game for a good reason: The Astros are now, officially, a Winning Team again. They are over .500 for the first time since June 10. It takes a winning team to make the playoffs, and now that they are over .500, it's time to start watching the other team. It's pretty likely, with only 40-something games left, that they'll have to aim for the Wild Card spot. But it has happened before that the Cubs have disappointed their fans... The Astros are 16-8 since the All Star game. They'd probably have to pretty much stay on that pace for the next 7 weeks to make the playoffs. But it ain't over till it's over, you know.

In other news: Carlos Lee's pinky reconstruction was successful - the finger was broken in 5 places. It is still estimated that he'll be out the rest of the season. (Until the playoffs, that is.) In his absence, the players covering for him in left field have had multiple RBIs in each game so far. Hopefully, it's contagious. Matsui had to leave this game with a sore back; no update on his status yet.