Matchup/Preview/Diary Game # 118 vs. Cubs

Glendon Rusch	Wandy Rodriguez
5 - 4, 3.98	7 - 5, 6.18

With Philadelphia squaring off against Washington, a loss tonight to the hated Drubs WILL at the very best drop the Astros into a tie atop the Whooping Crane standings.

So we better not lose, huh?

Our second favorite lefthander^* comes in with a 1 - 1 record over his last three with a 6.75, having given up 12 runs over 16 innings. Much better than that, the team is actually 2 - 1 in those three starts. In fact, the 'Stros are 7 - 3 in Wandy's last ten trips to the hill. Say what you might about the former Mr. Cabreja, but I'm beginning to notice that his results, like those of the team he so passionately pitches for, are generally better than their ingredients.

For example, take July second, when he gave up 5 hits, 5 walks and two homers to the Reds, but still somehow managed to get the win. He can be good when he's not good, so imagine if we can ever get him good: He'll be great . . . .

If you know what I mean.

And if you don't, just think to yourself,

Wandy can pitch the way he did at Washington again, I know he can.
He can keep the ball in the park, he can keep the ball down.
He can get 15 ground balls again, the way he did in Colorado that night, by jiminy.

Wandy's first start of the year came against the Cubs and Rusch May 24th at Wrigley. As is often the case with Wandy, he had it going on until he made a mistake that ended up putting his start in a much poorer light. That day it was a fat pitch to Jeromy Burnitz after a walk to D Lee and a strikeout to Aramis Ramirez. Those were runs three and four in the 4 - 1 loss, and they ended Rodriguez' evening before the sixth inning had completed.

Glendon Rusch, on the other hand, that day looked a lot like Dave Williams did yesterday, or Kip Wells on Saturday: he was never in trouble

Astros and Cubs come in 14th and 15th respectively in runs scored for the month of August, which made me want to look at the runs created angle player by player.

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^*Sorry, Mike Gallo

Wandy Power!™