You read that right... The Houston Astros are FINALLY over the .500 mark with a 17-16 record and sit in sole possession of 3rd place in the NL central with the Brewers losing to the Marlins 3-0.
What a game!!! I don't really even know where to start, but I guess it would be wrong to start anywhere else than Lance Berkman. Lance Berkman ended the night with his 1st career 5 hit game and brought his average up to .353 to take the lead from Miguel Tejada. Not only did he have 5 hits, he had 2 doubles, 2 stolen bases, an RBI and scored 4 times. I guess I should also mention that he scored the game winning run. Lance's .353 average is good for 5th in all of baseball behind Chipper Jones(.426), Rafael Furcal(.366), Chase Utley(.362) and Albert Pujols(.355). **note** These stats(other than Berkman's) are based upon numbers not updated to tonights games. Lance was 20th in all of baseball before tonight's game.
Carlos Lee didn't have too bad of a night either, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI's and a walk. Two of those RBI's in the 8th inning to put the Astros ahead for the win. I don't know what to think about Lee yet. He started getting hot over the last week or so and was up to a 5 game hit streak, but then went 0-5 in the last game against the Brewers. He now comes back and goes 3-4... hopefully this is a sign of him turning it around and reverting back to the player that we signed for 100 million dollars.
Shawn Chacon failed to record a decision for the 7th time this season, but pitched decent enough to keep the Astros in the game and not waste the bullpen. Chacon went 7 innings tonight and gave up 4 earned runs while striking out 4. This wasn't Chacon's best outing of the season, but it was better than his last start in which he only went 5 innings against the Diamondbacks and gave up 5 earned runs. Honestly, I think I'll pretty much take 7 innings and 4 earned runs from Chacon on most nights, so I can't be too unhappy with this performance.
Don't look now... but Jose Valverde might actually be a decent closer. I'm not getting too excited about him yet, but tonight's save(his 7th of the season) makes 5 straight save opportunities without blowing it. If my stats are correct(and they should be, they come from MLB.com), that makes 9 straight appearances for Valverde and 10 2/3 innings without giving up a run. Hopefully he will continue to add on to that. Valverde is now 7 for 10 in save chances.