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| Andy Pettitte | |
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Not to diminish in any way the tremendous game that Lefty pitched, but I will say that with the defense that was getting played behind the pitcher's mound for Houston, a game of the sort Andy thre would not have been required to get the win.
It started with the first batter of the game, when Carroll smoked a liner to Biggio's left that Bidge was all over, and then continued through great plays by Biggio (again) and Lane. Even the mistakes showed skill and instinct. Ensberg bobbled something but still made the play, Taveras started back on a ball, then sprinted to make the basket catch in front of himself.
It must be true what they say: pitching and defense really DOES win. It must, because it surely wasn't anything so hackneyed as "timely hitting" that won today. On a day when 8 of 10 homers in the majors were hit with the bases empty, the Astros hitting couldn't have been much more UNtimely. Berkman homered five pitches after Willy T emptied the bases by hitting into a double play. Ensberg homered to right with the bases empty. I guess Ausmus' two-out RBI single might be described as timely, but it was also a run that didn't matter.
So the offense still has a way to go, but you can watch as Ensberg turns his crappy May around, and as Wilson has surprisingly representative ABs. Still need a couple more Biggio shots to the Boxes, though.