Thursday, May 14, 2009

Recap for G34 - Astros @ Rockies

I made two tentative prognostications in the matchup for G34: It would be a high-scoring affair, and it could be the game to get Lance off the schneid. Both of those happened. It was a hit fest, as the Astros actually had to hold on to a 9-run lead at the end (I'm looking at you, Geary).

It was Lance's fourth multi-hit game of the year. The last time he had four hits in a game was May 4, 2008 against Milwaukee (and he had a 5x5 game two days later). So what does four hits do to your average when you're struggling like that? It raises it 29 points (.187 to .216), and your OBP 25 points (.323 to .348).

But let's table that discussion and get to the pitching. Hampton actually fared okay, the game was well in hand when he left. But while it never got hairy, it was enough to make it interesting.

Hampton: 6IP, 7H, 5ER, 3K:2BB
Arias: 1IP, 1H, 1ER, 1K
Wright: 1IP, 1H, 2K
Geary: .2IP, 3H, 5ER, 2BB
Hawkins: .1IP

Geary's portion of the inning was not much fun at all. Let's look. He came in in the 9th with the Astros up 15-6, and actually got pulled.

Fowler: Foul out to left
Quintanilla: Walk
Barmes: Single to center
Spilborghs: Flied out to right

-Note: That's two outs. There are Rockies on 1st and 2nd-

Smith: Double to right (scores Quintanilla)
Atkins: Walk
Iannetta: Grand Slam to left center (scores everybody)

So he leaves and it's 15-11. At least he didn't leave any mess for LaHawk to clean up. Maybe when starting six of the seven batters he faced with a ball, and three of them with two balls (heh), had something to do with it.










PitcherPit/StrStrike%BF/OutsEfficiency%GB/FB/K
Hampton95/5254.7%26/1869.2%7/8/3
Arias13/861.5%6/350%0/2/1
Wright19/1263.2%4/375%0/1/2
Geary30/1343.3%7/228.6%0/2/0
LaHawk4/375%1/1100%0/1/0
Total161/8854.7%44/2761.4%7/14/6



The Astros hit .471 off of the Rockies' pitchers. What I find interesting is that, of those 24 hits, only six of them were for extra-bases. That's taking advantage of baserunners. However, seven of those runs came on those extra-base hits. Eight runs were scored with 2 outs. And the Astros did some hitting from behind - 29 plate appearances resulted in a first-pitch strike, and still the Astros hit the cover off the ball.

The Astros got multi-RBI games from Berkman, Tejada, Blum and Quintero. Also worth pointing out that by going 2x6, Quintero is now hitting .133. Smith was 0x1, and that's 0x24 on the season.

Longest AB of the night: 7 pitches by Blum in the 7th, resulted in a 3-run double.

Man of the Match:
Give it up to Lance Berkman. 4x4 with a walk, and made no outs.

Goat of the Game:
Geoff Geary. Made a blowout interesting and couldn't get through the 9th, needing to burn LaHawk to throw four pitches to close out the game.