We won! We won!! In doing so we avoided being swept by the (now) 5th place Pirates and also broke a 3 game losing streak. The Astros started off in the 1st inning with a 3 run bomb to left field by Geoff Blum who was subbing for Miguel Tejada(I still don't see the point in Tejada sitting...) and gave the ball to Moehler in the bottom half of the 1st with a 4 run lead. Unfortunately that 4 run lead wasn't enough as the Bucs chipped away at the lead scoring a run in the 2nd, 2 in the 34d and another in the 5th before Moehler left after 6 innings with 3 strike outs, a walk and 4 earned runs against. Lucky for Moehler, the Astros came back in the 7th inning and scored 2 more runs on a ground out RBI by Pence and then an RBI double by Matsui which sealed the deal for the "good guys" as they finished the game off 6-4.
Nice outing by Sampson tonight who came in for the 7th and 8th innings and got out all 6 batters he faced, throwing just 23 pitches. Sampson has been outstanding since being moved to the pen. In his 13 games pitched as a reliever, he's thrown 16.2 innings, allowing just 12 hits, 2 walks while striking out 8, to give him a 2.16 ERA. Not too shabby for a guy who was demoted to the bullpen due to high 5's ERA as a starter. JD has mentioned multiple times how Sampson seems to be more aggressive as a reliever, going at hitters more and it's turned out for excellent results. Maybe Sampson is destined to be a bull pen guy...
Welcome back Kazuo Matsui who went 2 for 6 tonight with 2 doubles and an RBI.
Those who know how to get on base:
- Lance Berkman - 1 for 2 with 2 walks and a run scored
- Carlos Lee - 1 for 2 with 3 walks and a run scored
- Brad Ausmus - 1 for 2 with 2 walks and an RBI
- Brian Moehler - 0-1 with 2 walks