GAME 120 - August 13: Opportunity Knocks and Astros Answer

Houston 6, San Francisco 2

Quote of the Day: "We found a way, and that's the important thing. It wasn't the prettiest and it wasn't like we were driving balls or hitting the ball hard, but we found a way." (Wiggington)

In the weird game department, this one was a classic. No, the Astros weren't driving balls or hitting them hard - they weren't hitting the ball much at all. In the crazy sixth inning, when all of the Astros' runs were scored, the players were hit almost as often as the ball was. Six players accounted for the six runs - and not one of them had a hit. Here's how it happened:

Like Monday's game, the Astros hadn't been able to do much against the Giants' starter, Barry Zito, for 5 innings. Wiggington opened the sixth by beating out an infield single, then moved up on Loretta's walk. Tejada's bloop single to right loaded the bases with no outs, and Berkman coming to the plate? Another grand slam would have been improbably - but it would have been a lot less odd than what actually happened. Zito walked in the run. The bases were still loaded, for Blum, whose sac fly scored the second run. Pence was intentionally walked, loading up the bases again. Abercrombie's sac fly scored Tejada, for the third run. Two down. After Zito hit Quintero with a pitch and then walked pitcher Randy Wolf for the fourth run, he was replaced. His reliever, young Barry Sadler won't want to think much about this game in years to come: He hit both Wiggington and Loretta with pitches, giving the Astros a pair of additional runs. Grand total: 6 runs scored by 12 batters, 2 hits (one infield, one bloop), 2 sac flies, 4 walks, and 3 hit batsmen (tied for a major league record for HBPs in an inning).

Opportunistic? You bet. We'll take it.

On the Houston pitching side, it was pretty much a mirror of the previous game. Starting pitcher went seven, two relievers each had a perfect inning. This time it was Wolf to start - he threw 7 innings, giving up 2 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, striking out 3. Geary and Brocail did the honors to close it out.

Seven in a row. Go for the sweep!