Wow, I can't remember being this frustrated with an Astros game. I'm also going to do something I can't remember having done before. I'm going to complain about the offensive effort during a six-run inning.
First, it's always disappointing when the bullpen lets you down. We've been spoiled a bit this season, since the Astros bullpen has been so solid for so much of the season. Even with injuries to guys like Jeff Fulchino, Chris Sampson, Alberto Arias and Matt Lindstrom, the bullpen has remained a strength of the team. That's why we've forgotten losses like this. Every team has one where the bullpen just lets you down. Good teams have them, as do the bad ones. It's a part of baseball. It still doesn't excuse the fact that the Astros two best relievers gave up three runs in the ninth and tenth innings of a game they should have won.
Was it all Brandon Lyon's fault? Was it Matt Lindstrom's? Neither has looked particularly good lately, though Henry Villar, Mark Melancon and Fernando Abad sure have. I know this is just Lyon regressing to the mean with his ERA, but geez. Did it have to happen so quickly?
As for the offense, yeah, that six run rally was nice. It was also neat that so many different Astros contributed to it. The team sent 10 men to the plate and five of them drove in a run (though Brett Wallace wasn't credited with an RBI, since he reached on an error). The only multi-RBI hit was Brian Bogusevic, who's definitely making a push to take over as the fourth outfielder next season.
Still, with Hunter Pence on first and Jeff Keppinger on second with one out, Carlos Lee hit a tailor-made double play ball to third base. Without that double play, Houston could have gotten some insurance runs and the double Lyon gave up to Ryan Braun wouldn't have tied the game. Carlos Lee hits into double plays. I get that. He'll most likely top 20 GIDPs again this season. With Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace up next, though, that play was really a killer.
Onward and upward, though. I didn't expect the Astros to win them all down the stretch. They fall back to six games under .500, but are on pace for those 10 wins I laid out for them the other day. This weekend holds a tough matchup against Cincinnati. It'd be nice if they didn't have any bullpen issues against the Reds.