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| Jason Vargas | Andy Pettitte |
| 5 - 3, 4.28 | 15 - 9, 2.48 |
So the team is 8 - 0 when Andy Pettitte pitches the last game of a series, and 11 - 4 when a victory with Pettitte starting will clinch a series win. He has not pitched this year to clinch a series split.
Still no Ensberg, and probably no Taveras and no Burke, if I understand correctly. But Mike Lamb has gotten hot, it appears, and sure, give Gipson a start in center. He did everything that was asked of him yesterday, if not more.
In a game attended by your curator on August 21, the rookie Vargas threw 117 pitches in his complete game victory over the Dodgers. That win took him to 4 - 1. But since then, Vargas is 1 - 2 in four starts, and he gave up 5 over 5-2/3 in the lone victory.
On the other hand, of course, the Astros've never seen him, which could portend troubled waters ahead for Captain Pettitte and his Astros crew.
Carlos Delgado, even more dangerously, has seen Pettitte a bunch, and has hit .364 off Andy. Damion Easley is hitting .318 in 44 at bats, Juan Encarnacion .455 in 22.
No matter, it says here. Pettitte cruises to attain the series split, and puts the Astros back out front in the Wild Card charge.