We're going to skip straight to the bullet-points to roll through this game:
- Do you think Brad Mills or Cecil Cooper ever considered replacing Carlos Lee late in a game with Roy Oswalt? Is it worrisome that it could have been a defensive improvement?
- A two-out home run by Jimmy Rollins spoiled the show here for Wilton Lopez. All relievers get bombed every now and then. I was just glad it wasn't Brandon Lyon, after I said something complimentary about him earlier in the day. No TCB Curse here!
- Speaking of Carlos Lee, that was a pretty clutch home run he hit. It was his only hit of the night, but he still added. 137 win probability. Only Hunter Pence and Chris Johnson added more in the game.
- Pence is still raking at the plate. He went 3 for 6 in this one with a walk and a strikeout. He also scored two of the Astros four runs and got things started in that crucial 16th inning with a one-out single.
- Chris Johnson also broke out of a 3 for 28 slump by going 4 for 6 with a walk, a strikeout and the game-winning RBI.
- The two teams combined to play 42 of 50 possible players. In addition to Roy Oswalt getting that key at-bat in the bottom of the 16th, Wandy Rodriguez pinch-hit late in the game. 15 of those 42 players pitched in the game and all but two (JC Romero and Gustavo Chacin) pitched a complete frame.
- Brett Wallace didn't start, but he did get three plate appearances, getting plunked once and going 1 for 2 with run scored and a strikeout. After the game, he told Zachary Levine that "the biggest thing for me is just to keep working, just keep grinding out at-bats and not put too much pressure on myself." That has to be one of the biggest transitions from the minors to the majors, going from playing every day to playing at the manager's discretion. Timmy was sort of upset that Mills kept Wallace out against a lefty again and I agree with him. Wallace needs to play every day and only get a day off here or there to rest him, not to platoon him.
- The only Astros reliever who didn't get in the game was Brandon Lyon. The venerable right-hander had pitched in two previous games and had the night off. I wonder, though, if the game had stretched out longer, if Mills would have been tempted to bring him in.
- Of course, the thing Phillie fans are focused on is the Howard ejection. That forced Oswalt into the field in the first place. I didn't get to see it, so I don't know how warranted it was, but Howard's line (0 for 7, 5 Ks) deserves mention by itself.
- What a big night for Fernando Abad. He's a guy that many of us really like, but he hasn't been able to translate well to the majors yet. Last night, striking out Utley and Howard, Abad proved he can stick with the big league team.
- I'd call Bud Norris' start workmanlike. He didn't strike a bunch of people out, he walked a few too many, but he got through six innings again and only allowed the one run. If not for Norris working deep again, the Astros may not have had the depth in their bullpen to reach the 16th inning.
- Did you have a favorite moment from the game? How many of you watched this thing from start to finish? I noticed we also set the comment record in a game thread, just shy of 600. Good work, people.