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Milwaukee Brewers at Houston Astros, 1:05 PM CDT

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Milwaukee Brewers
@ Houston Astros

Sunday, May 4, 2008, 1:05 PM CDT
Minute Maid Park

Ben Sheets vs Chris Sampson

Partly cloudy. Winds blowing from right to left field at 5-15 m.p.h. Game Time temperature: Around 80.

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W-LGGSCGSHOSVBSIPHRERHRBBKERAWHIP
2008 - Ben Sheets 4-0 5 5 1 1 0 0 33.0 17 7 6 2 11 26 1.64 .85


W-LGGSCGSHOSVBSIPHRERHRBBKERAWHIP
2008 - Chris Sampson 1-3 5 5 0 0 0 0 22.2 33 18 18 1 6 9 7.15 1.72


Sampson has had a rough time lately and has watched his ERA balloon to 7.15.  Unfortunately, he's drawn a tough opponent today in Ben Sheets who has just a 1.65 ERA.  For what it's worth, Sheets is coming off his worst outing fo the season in which he went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs.  Sheets has already shown a little bit of the injury bug this season after having a sore triceps muscle before his last game. 

Sampson appears to be the anti-Wandy.  Sampson's home numbers this season are pathetic.  In 2 games started, Sampson has only lasted 4.2 innings and allowed opposing hitters to hit .480 against him rocketing his ERA at home to 17.36.  In Sampson's last game, he went 4 1/3 inning and gave up 5 runs.  Sampson really needs to step it up today.  He's had 2 good outings this season and 3 miserable outings this season.  Sampson is looking for his 1st win at home today and if he does some how accomplish that... the Astros will be able to take home a sweep of the Brewers and also bring their record back up to .500 for the 2nd time this season.

It doesn't look like Wandy will be able to make his scheduled start against the Nationals.

"He was going to throw a simulated game today, but we decided not to do it," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said Saturday. "The doctor said it was probably better if we hold off on it. We're going to wait and see how he is in a couple of days."

Rodriguez, 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four starts, is eligible to come off the disabled list on Monday. Cooper was hoping the 29-year-old would be able to make a start against the Nationals during the three-game series at Minute Maid Park from Tuesday-Thursday. Now it appears Rodriguez will miss a third turn through the rotation.

That's a shame... this would have been his last chance to have a home start before the Astros go on a 10 game road trip.

In other unrelated news, Jason Jennings is heading to the DL.

The Texas Rangers placed right-handed starter Jason Jennings on the 15-day disabled list Friday night with soreness in his forearm.

What a shame... we have a series against the Rangers starting on the 16 of this month; I was hoping we would get a chance to inflate his 8.56 ERA and 0-5 record.

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Yikes, Moehler is preparing to make Wandy's start.

He pitched a simulated game in order to try to stay sharp. That is the downside of sending Cassel back down to Round Rock so quickly. He can’t be recalled for 10 days. And it will keep the bullpen short for part of next week if Moehler has to be held back for a start.

by clack on May 4, 2008 12:02 PM CDT   0 recs

Who pitches batting practice for the Astos?

Let him start – it’s only the Nationals!

It takes more than pitching to win a pennant, but not much!

by bwhite2323 on May 4, 2008 12:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe we should let Wandy

and Sampson switch the 5 spot as starters depending on whether we are at home or on the road?

It takes more than pitching to win a pennant, but not much!

by bwhite2323 on May 4, 2008 12:27 PM CDT   0 recs

I dunno about that.

Nats hammered the Astros at MMP last year. The team has been slumping but they have some good talent on the offensive side…Milledge, Johnson, Kearns, Zimmerman. Hopefully their bats stay asleep.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

BLT sandwich!??

I hate it.. they need a new moniker for Berkman, Lee and Tejada..

Go 'Stros!

by Stros Bro on May 4, 2008 1:02 PM CDT   0 recs

New Motto For The Astros:

No Lead Is Too Safe

Has a much nicer ring than “Return of the Good Guys”.

It takes more than pitching to win a pennant, but not much!

by bwhite2323 on May 4, 2008 1:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sampson gives up RBI hit to Hart

Fielder caught in rundown ends top of 1st.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:25 PM CDT   0 recs

milo complaining about ump's strike zone

apparently thought we should have had a called strike 3 before the single to score the run in the top of the inning

by lnewcomer on May 4, 2008 1:27 PM CDT   0 recs

man, I keep hoping that Sampson is just in a funk

but it doesn’t look like it. if we had anyone, he’d be out of the rotation, but we don’t

by lnewcomer on May 4, 2008 1:36 PM CDT   0 recs

score would be much worse...

if fielder hadn’t been caught in rundown and Sheets had slid into home plate. Sampson has been very hittable, but those base running miscues helped him out.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Seems like he's the stop gap...

for Paulino or Nieve… whoever gets healthier first.

by TexSkins on May 4, 2008 2:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

RBI double for sheets.

2-0 Astros. Just as JD was saying that Sheets is a bad hitter. Kendall doubles, but Sheets is thrown out at the plate. Sampson doesn’t appear to have anything.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:37 PM CDT   0 recs

HR to RF for Berkman

2-1 Astros. It barely cleared RF fence….thought for a second it might be caught.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:43 PM CDT   0 recs

Runners 1st & 3d

Wiggy doubled. Towles gets on base on an error….a little comebacker which Sheets fumbled. Towles got a steady does of curve balls and didn’t look good in his at bat. Pence also got a steady does of curveballs and struck out earlier in the inning.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:49 PM CDT   0 recs

glad we could help Cameron get on track

after getting back from the ‘roids

by lnewcomer on May 4, 2008 1:55 PM CDT   0 recs

actually his suspension was for a stimulant.

Steroids would have been a longer suspension.

by clack on May 4, 2008 1:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't have a source...

but I seem to remember amphatemines. (I don’t think I spelled that right.)

by TexSkins on May 4, 2008 3:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sampson gives up 2 straight singles.

Fielder with a bullet past 1st base, and Hart with a scorched grounder between 3d and shortstop. Sampson always in hot water.

by clack on May 4, 2008 2:03 PM CDT   0 recs

Sampson gets a flyball and a grounder to Matsui to end inning.

He is skating on thin ice. But Astros may have a short bullpen because Moehler threw so many pitches in a simulated game yesterday. JD said that was a calculated risk, and it may be the reason Moehler didn’t come in the game.

by clack on May 4, 2008 2:08 PM CDT   0 recs

It's ONLY one run an inning

But if Brewers were anywhere near efficient they could have scored 3 or 4 more runs so far. It seems to me (and I may be misconceiving) Astros are developing a trend of not mounting much of an offensive threat until the second half of the game.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 2:10 PM CDT   0 recs

Astros' best chance for offense...

might be to increase Sheets’ pitch count and get him out of the game. He has been battling injuries, and I don’t think the Brewers will want to take any chances on his pitch count.

by clack on May 4, 2008 2:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Late to the party

yo, guys. At least we are keeping it close.

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:10 PM CDT   0 recs

Close thanks to

some sloppy Brewers baserunning.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 2:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

How does mlb audio keep up with gameday?

Faster, slower? I think I might buy it. Seems more exciting

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:12 PM CDT   0 recs

I would get mlb tv

but I’m in a blackout area. Blows. SO i get stuck with gameday when it’ not on tv. Which is often.

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Get the video

It’s worth it, especially if you live outside the Houston TV market.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 2:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Matsui doubles

Let’s get something going here guys.

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:14 PM CDT   0 recs

Another ineffective outing by Sampson

Gets Sheets out, but Kendall doubles and Weeks walks so Borkowski comes in. I’m sure the score will change before we bat again.

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:28 PM CDT   0 recs

Borkowski

is garbage.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 2:30 PM CDT   0 recs

THE FIRST FUCKING BATTER?!!!

Can you fucking get one person out before you give up a damn run, Borkowski?

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:31 PM CDT   0 recs

Then he gets Braun out

That’s what I hate about him. He gets outs we don’t need that much (relatively) and blows the ones that we really need.

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Cameron

did quite a bit of damage in that Jennings start last July, if I remember correctly.

by Triple347 on May 4, 2008 2:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Before today, cameron had 5 HRs in 19 games at MMP...

which isn’t bad. After Beltran left, I was in favor of trying to trade for Cameron. Not so much lately, though, given his age.

by clack on May 4, 2008 2:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ok, well, I didn't really expect us to win this game anyway

I gotta go get my mom a mother’s day gift. So i’m out. later

by entropic soul on May 4, 2008 2:37 PM CDT   0 recs

That call

was ridiculous. Horrible.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 2:56 PM CDT   0 recs

what

was the call?

by Triple347 on May 4, 2008 2:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Noteworthy event: Cruz gets a hit.

But Bourn with a line drive to RF and Hart throws Cruz out at 2d. Close play. At first I thought he was safe, but replay made me think he was out. Something wrong withh his slide. He didn’t slide all the way to the bag. Bourn needed that hit by the way and it is denied.

by clack on May 4, 2008 2:58 PM CDT   0 recs

I thought he was safe...

until I saw the one angle where you see him start to pop up from his slide before the foot touched the bag. At that point, 2d baseman appeared to have the ball. But it was close, and different angles gave me different conclusions.

by clack on May 4, 2008 3:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Whether he was safe or not.

He shouldn’t have been in that situation. Too bad he finally gets a hit then has a baserunning mistake.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 3:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bourn scores on a double by Matsui.

6-3 astros. Berkman batting with 2 out.

by clack on May 4, 2008 3:00 PM CDT   0 recs

Great day for Berkman

If Astros win, he’s my player of the game no matter what happens from now on.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 3:02 PM CDT   0 recs

I'm finally here

Missed the last two games and just caught highlights. Apparently when I don’t watch, the Astros hit homers back-to-back and more.

Hoping we get something going in the bottom of the 7th.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:22 PM CDT   0 recs

It was also awesome to see...

the team get the win for Oswalt the other night.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:23 PM CDT   0 recs

Bottom 7th...

crucial inning for the Astros’ offense, because they will battle late inning relievers in 8th and 9th.
Sheets gets Loretta on a comebacker. Now Shouse will come in to relieve Sheets.

by clack on May 4, 2008 3:30 PM CDT   0 recs

lol...

that didn’t go so well.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:35 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wright's been impressive.

I don’t know how he does it, but he does.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 3:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think I agree with whoever said

they are tiring of the B LT sandwich references.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 3:44 PM CDT   0 recs

lol

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 3:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Stros Bro said it

higher up this thread

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 3:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

One of the guys at the Chron

suggested “Firing Squad.” I kinda like that one, at least it’s better than BLT.

75% of the Earth's surface is covered by water. . . the other 25% by Michael Bourn

by Danyah on May 4, 2008 7:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'll just wait until were in the playoff hunt later in the year

and the people on ESPN give them a nickname. That’s how creative I am.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 8:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Heh, Berkman is on.

When he’s already walking to the dugout in frustration while it carries to the warning track, you know he’s been hitting well.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:49 PM CDT   0 recs

Agh.

The only thing I didn’t want to see…

was Hunter turning a good AB into another K on a pitch low and outside.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Very disappointing inning all around

Pence is killing me.

Bourn to Run!

by jsams on May 4, 2008 3:53 PM CDT   0 recs

Critical inning and nothing happening for Astros

I don’t hold out much hope for the ninth.

Astros fan for life

by Joe in Birmingham on May 4, 2008 3:53 PM CDT   0 recs

7-8-9 spots up. ugh.

The 8th was the time to get it done. Maybe Backe can pinch-hit a HR.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:54 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Pitchers have found the kryptonite to use on Pence

outside slider in the dirt. That swing and miss was so predictable.

by clack on May 4, 2008 3:54 PM CDT   0 recs

well, he's been laying off of that pitch...

more than earlier in the season. He’s batting over .300 over the last 10 games before today.

But yeah, it’s still the glaring weakness in his approach.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 3:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh come on...

at that stupid kid.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 4:05 PM CDT   0 recs

lord

that shit really pisses me off.

by exit53 on May 4, 2008 4:06 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

bringing a glove...

to a game where you have front row seats (except behind home plate) should be a crime.

by BTastros on May 4, 2008 4:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Astros with their own Bartman?

Matsui would have that ball, but the fan grabbed it before it reached his glove. Matsui looked plenty pissed.

by clack on May 4, 2008 4:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

not carted out

is it that if the ball is foul – and not ruled as fan interference – the fan is allowed to stay in the game? otherwise, if it had been interference, he would have been kicked out of the game, right?

by exit53 on May 4, 2008 4:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

not interference...fan didn't reach over railing.

But home fans should understand that they need to let their team catch the ball.

by clack on May 4, 2008 4:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs