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| Mike Lamb |
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Pretty easy to select when a guy scores your first run, drives in your next three, then scores the next. Pretty easy to pick when the cycle eludes the guy 'cause he's hitting the ball too well. . . .
As the ball was rocketting outward towards Matthews, I couldn't help but think of Kevin Bass, who, on June 27, 1987, doubled in the first, tripled in the third, homered in the fifth. . .then doubled to left field in the seventh. Bass could have very easily settled for a single, especially considering the Astros were ahead 6 - 2 at the time. But Bass stretched it into a double, thus costing himself a smal slice of Astro immortality, but also showing that he was something of a gamer.
Like Bass, Lamb doubled in the first, and needed a single in his final at bat, and for a second there I thought he was gonna be like Bass and get more than what he needed for that cycle.
I'd be very reluctant to say anything like "this is the game that turns it around," until a long time has passed and we can put the thing in perspective. But if you didn't enjoy this one, I can't imagine why. 18 total bases from the offense, including an honest to God rally, 7 innings of shutout ball from the starter, and two more scoreless innings from the pen.
The only thing better is like eight in a row, just like it.