Houston Astros @ St. Louis Cardinals GameThread, Apr 25, 2008 7:15 PM CDT

Houston Astros at St. Louis Cardinals, 7:15 PM CDT

by Stros Bro on Apr 25, 2008 6:37 PM CDT

Houston Astros @ St. Louis Cardinals

Next Game

Friday, Apr 25, 2008, 7:15 PM CDT
Busch Stadium

Mostly cloudy with a 40-percent chance of rain. Winds blowing in from right field at 15-25 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 70.

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Lineup

Houston Astros @ St. Louis Cardinals

04/25/08 7:15 PM CDT

Houston Astros	St. Louis Cardinals
Kazuo Matsui - 2B	Skip Schumaker - RF
Darin Erstad - CF	Rick Ankiel - CF
Miguel Tejada - SS	Albert Pujols - 1B
Lance Berkman - 1B	Chris Duncan - LF
Carlos Lee - LF	Troy Glaus - 3B
Geoff Blum - 3B	Adam Kennedy - 2B
Hunter Pence - RF	Yadier Molina - C
J.R. Towles - C	Braden Looper - P
Shawn Chacon - P	Brendan Ryan - SS

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Shawn Chacon	0-0	4	4	0	0	0	0	26.0	20	8	8	2	11	14	2.77	1.19

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2008 - Braden Looper	3-1	4	4	0	0	0	0	19.2	23	12	12	1	7	12	5.49	1.53

Shawn Chacon looks to earn his 1st win of the season today against the St. Louis Cardinals. Scratch that... Shawn Chacon has earned multiple wins this season, but unfortunately has been able to record one in the standings. Hopefully that changes tonight.

Pence has been doing well lately... I wonder how long until he finds himself hitting 6th... or do you think Cooper would be afraid to move him since he has been doing good lately? I say move him up... no reason he should be hitting behind Blum.

Astros have won 5 straight and look to do some damage to the Cardinals who sit in 2nd place behind the Cubbies. The Astros are only 3 games back from the Cardinals... and start a 3 game series tonight with the Cards... so needless to say, this series could be really productive if the Astros can continue their current mini-streak.

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Comments

doh

Rain delay….

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 7:35 PM CDT 0 recs

Yep..

GET A ROOF!

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Apr 25, 2008 7:36 PM CDT up 0 recs

There should be a rule...

Visiting team gets one automatic run per 30 minutes of rain delay at any ballpark. :p

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 7:42 PM CDT 0 recs

Heheh

Works for me… wouldn’t see many open roofs that way.

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on Apr 25, 2008 7:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

Let's get this started!

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:16 PM CDT 0 recs

Top 1st...

Kaz Matsui grounds to 2nd and is thrown out at first.

Erstad hits it sharply into RF and has a stand-up double. On 2nd with 1 out.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:20 PM CDT 0 recs

Tejada...

is at 2-2 for a while, fouling off a few pitches. He works it to 3-2, then taps a ball foul down the RF line. Then flares one over Pujols, who makes a pretty good catch and quick throw to 2nd to hold Erstad.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

Berkman...

bats with 2 outs and Erstad on 2nd. Hits a flyball into left center field. Duncan and Ankiel collide, but Duncan manages to hold onto the ball. Top of the inning over with no score.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:25 PM CDT up 0 recs

Bottom 1st starts with Schumaker...

who walks on 4 pitches from Chacon.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:27 PM CDT 0 recs

Ankiel up next

Chacon’s mechanics seem rather off after the 2-hour delay, and he quickly takes it to 3-0, and then walks on the 4th pitch. This is bad news with Pujols up.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

Pujols...

is up, and Chacon manages a 1st pitch strike with a 79 mph slider. 2nd pitch is low, 1-1. 3rd pitch nearly gets away, and Towles makes a nice stop. On the 2-1 pitch, Pujols pops it up to Matsui for a huge 1st out.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:32 PM CDT up 0 recs

Duncan...

taps the 1st pitch foul down the RF line, and I had a split second’s hope of a double play ball. Chacon gets it to 1-2, and then Duncan fouls off a couple of pitches. Duncan eventually walks to load the bases.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:36 PM CDT up 0 recs

Glaus is up...

with a .314 avg and 3 grand slams in bases-loaded AB’s. Fouls off the first two pitches to get in the hole 0-2. Chacon gets a huge K. 2 outs, the bases still juiced.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:39 PM CDT up 0 recs

Kennedy...

takes a 1st pitch strike.

Kennedy taps it to near short, but Blum fields it and flips it to 2nd for the force play… but misses Matsui completely, and 2 runs score on Blum’s error.

Chacon was nearly out of it, and Blum blew it. Doh! 2-0 Cardinals with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

Molina...

is probably receiving his first intentional pass… ever… so that Chacon can get to the Cardinals’ conveniently located 8th spot hitter—the pitcher!

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

Looper...

quickly goes to 0-2. 1-2. Looper then pops it up to Berkman to finally end the inning.

The error by Blum costs us way more than anything Chacon did himself.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

Chacon is at like 35 pitches.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

Ack!

by jonthefon on Apr 25, 2008 9:39 PM CDT 0 recs

Top of the 2nd brings up Lee...

who is quickly at 0-2. Works it to 1-2, and gets a fortunate call on a check-swing. He fouls off a few, staying at 2-2. Then taps one to 3rd and is out at 1st. 1 out.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:49 PM CDT 0 recs

Blum...

taps one to short. 2 outs.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

Pence...

Hits a groundball to 2nd. Inning over.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

Is anybody out there?

I don’t mind doing the pbp… but I won’t do it with nobody in the thread :).

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:53 PM CDT 0 recs

I must admit...

that late start or no, I’m disappointed people aren’t in the thread for an Astros-Cardinals game!

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 9:59 PM CDT up 0 recs

present

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

I could have sworn

that Roy was scheduled to start tonight. Was it the rain delay or am I just an idiot?

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:00 PM CDT 0 recs

a single to the pitcher?

-per Gameday. At least chacon isn’t walking everybody and their dog this inning.

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:01 PM CDT 0 recs

Hope the guys

didn’t leave their bats in Cincy.

And where’s Blum’s glove anyway? How many errors does he have now? 3?

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:03 PM CDT 0 recs

bases loaded

for the second inning in a row. there was a time when we seemed to have the cardinals number, but the last couple years we sorta deflate when they show up.

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:05 PM CDT 0 recs

An 0-2 count to a walk?

WTF?

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:05 PM CDT up 0 recs

He's still pretty funny-looking

with his mechanics. I think he found some things that were “working” but weren’t really comfortable, and he keeps losing it periodically.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

loaded for Glaus again, in particular.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:06 PM CDT up 0 recs

STRIKEOUT!

Boom!

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

Huge out

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

needed that K

6 baserunners so far, but only 2 runs (on an error). cards are as pathetic as us

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:07 PM CDT 0 recs

I suppose it's 8 baserunners

since we reloaded the bases after the runs in the 1st

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:08 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yeah...

St Louis broadcast noted that Cardinals lead the majors in walks this season. We’re helping to pad that stat a little.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

no way that stat lasts

pujols will draw a ton of walks, of course, maybe duncan, but the rest of their offense is going to drop off.

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

Okay, I'l pick up the PBP in the top of the 3rd!

Towles is due up first.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:08 PM CDT 0 recs

Towles strikes out...

on a ball in the dirt, and opts not to run it out.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

doh

Lame

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

Chacon...

taps it to Looper who runs it to 1st himself. 2 outs.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

Matsui...

hits a pretty long flyball down the LF line for out number 3.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

I probably won't be here long

Have company coming over and the game’s not on tv so I won’t be hanging around the computer long.

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:10 PM CDT 0 recs

Question

Why is Pence hitting 7th?

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:13 PM CDT 0 recs

A good question...

Stros Bro suggested that maybe Coop doesn’t want to move him up to 6th since he’s been hitting better at 7th. Doesn’t make a ton of sense to me… it’s not like people are pitching around him to get to Towles.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:14 PM CDT up 0 recs

we're back to making

mediocre pitchers look like all stars

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:13 PM CDT 0 recs

I think Berkman will fix that.

He looked pretty good during his first AB.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:15 PM CDT up 0 recs

He's mediocre in general

But Looper does have his “on” days.

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:15 PM CDT up 0 recs

one pitch out is nice

really need a quick inning here

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:16 PM CDT 0 recs

Bottom of the 3rd starts with Kennedy...

hits it to Pence in RF for a quick 1st out.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:16 PM CDT 0 recs

Molina of the intentional walk...

has to actually bat this time. Blum tries to make a tough play on a near foul-ball (spinning, jumping, and throwing), forgetting that it’s Molina running and that he could have turned, had a cigarette, and still thrown him out. Not sure if it was scored an error.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

Looper...

sacrifices to advance Molina. 2 outs.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

Ryan...

hits it in the air to Pence. Inning over. Cards have stranded 7.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

for clarity...

He rushed the throw and ended up throwing it about 5 feet to the right of Berkman.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

blum's errors

seem to come in batches

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:17 PM CDT 0 recs

at least, the radio guys

are making it sound like the play on molina was botched.

by lnewcomer on Apr 25, 2008 10:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

scorekeeper gives him a single, i guess

by entropic soul on Apr 25, 2008 10:18 PM CDT up 0 recs

I think it's the right call.

by BTastros on Apr 25, 2008 10:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

Is Chacon getting...

squeezed a bit? According to GameCast it looks as if he is. At least that was a better inning for him. Let’s go Stros! Only down 2 (although it feels like more)!

SeoulStro

Biggio and Bagwell for the HOF!

by SeoulStro on Apr 25, 2008 10:21 PM CDT 0 recs