Strikes out Hyjer Morgan.

Crowd looks pretty thin too.

2 strikeouts and a line drive to second.

Feeling positive.

I hope the Astros know this and add to his total

But his OBP is .326 since the All Star Break, so at least he’s shown a little improvement.

He grounds out to 1st, unassisted.

out until 2010 – even then he’s at the age where his career may be over.

Ouch.

He is officially lost at the plate.

and Berkman and Tejada in big slumps

Hunter Pence must assume the big man at the plate role.

Who makes sort of this sliding stop to his left.
Luis Cruz follows suit, but to Blum instead.

do you think the Rockies are regretting letting Arias go? Very nice, 3 innings with 6 k’s..

Bourn bats with two outs and takes strike one.

Lead man on first now.

I heard he went through a few shaving stages while I was away in San Antonio over the weekend.

WTF was that?

Ball gets by Berkman, Runner tries to go home and is nailed ( I think it was at home _ I’m reading at work and may have screwed up this report))

left wrist or hand on defensive play

I figured the pirates would stop swinging at his pitches eventually.

But he gets out of trouble without any runs thanks to Berkman’s cleverness.

Let’s get a hit here.

Berkman has taken in a week. It went foul but it’s a start

It seems like we have so much trouble doing that.

And if Lee were batting behind him, this is where he’d hit a home run. But it’s Blum, so Blum will have to hit a home run.

Cubs and Cardinals take the day off.

3-1 Brewers in the 4th and
5-4 Phils in the 7th.

Time to go,Coop.

the second coming of Ezequiel Astacio.

Starts a slick double play. Kudos to Newhan and Berkman as well.

It got ugly at times, but I guess results are what matters.
Well, he got lucky too.

His control looks poor right now. He hasn’t started much in his career, and as JD noted, nervousness would add to the exhaustion factor.

Now Arias gets a tremendous play by Tejada for a DP, and another grounder after that to get out of the inning. That is what is so good about an exteme groundball pitcher.

CRAWFORD BOXES. Thay are right there!

1-0 Astros

Snell starts his Bourn watch.
It doesn’t last long. Erstad smacks one up the middle.

Bourn being an igniter today by getting on with a bunt… scores on a Tejada single.
Time for Berkman to come out of the slump with two on.

A single to right field scores Erstad.
3-0 Astros

Berkman smacked that one. I thought his swing looked much better his last time up. I think he’s sanpped out of his slump. .

Newhan with an error on a strange play. Slow grounder, Newhan, and baserunner Morgan converged on the same spot at the same time. The ball skirted past Morgan and Newhan was screened from the play and missed it. I think a veteran ML 2d baseman would have found a better way to handle that situation.

Now he is trying to get out of a 2 out 1st/3d situation.

Half game separates them

just to show he can get one.

he should be motivated against his former team, the Pirates.

 I see many empty searts. Is it all you can eat night? Maybe everyone is at the concession stands.

Surely the Astros can hold the lead for one inning without me.

Throw from Towles ricocheted on runner and hit Berkman in head. He seems OK now.

having a very tough game..hope he’s ok

A RBI single. A double

Overall I bet Lance Berkman will be happy he played today.

and apparently alone on the board..

but I love what Newhan has been able to do so far..and predict something happy

Ok?

Too much to ask?

out 3

THEY ARE LEADING 5-4 NOW!!!

Happy camper here

And we gain a game.

But Valverde won the DHL delivery man of the Month Award for August.
You can see why as he gets his revenge on the Pirates.

Kendall batting.

Mike Lamb is on deck.

1-1 count on Kendall.

Game over.
Reds 5-4.

THANK YOU REDS!!!

and on radio

Nice night

Pirates Tie Major Sport Record for Most Consecutive Losing Seasons

Never, ever give up!