Mark Rogers (0-1, 5.91) vs Bud Norris (5-9, 5.07)
Walk-off! It's a walk-off! Coming into tonight, no team in 96 years had ever lost 35 times in 39 games. Thanks to an improbable late rally, neither did the 2012 Astros. Wearing '90s throwback uniforms that never saw a losing season, Houston wins 4-3 on their first walk-off of the year. They're now 37-77 overall.
*Bud Norris started out shaky, but he finished strong and turned in a solid outing, posting a 7 IP / 8 H / 3 R / 2 ER / 0 BB / 7 K line. He left with Houston down 3-1, so he still hasn't won a game since May 21, but this was his fifth quality start in his last seven turns. Fernando Rodriguez and Wilton Lopez each pitched a perfect inning in relief, striking out two apiece.
Observations:
*You worried where this game was going after Milwaukee jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and the Astros were held hitless through the first 4.1 innings, but then three of Houston's next four batters singled to generate their first run.
*A Carlos Corporan error led to the Brewers first run, but he redeemed himself quite well later in the game. Corporan drove in the Astros' first run in the 5th, then hit a solo homer to right in the 8th, finishing 2 for 3.
*Brian Bogusevic is your other big hero tonight, going 2 for 4 including the single that drove in the winning run.
*Steve Pearce singled in the 9th to drive in Tyler Greene (making his Astros debut as a pinch runner), then Pearce came around to score the winning run. He went 1 for 4.
*Scott Moore went 1 for 4 with a bunt single that broke up the no-hitter, then scored on Corporan's single later in the inning.
Turning Point:
Down 3-2 going to the bottom of the 9th, John Axford came on for the save. Brett Wallace led off with his second of two walks on the night, then Tyler Greene came in to run for him. Greene stole second, then went to third on a wild pitch; Steve Pearce singled to drive him in, then made it to second himself on an error by Brewers CF Carlos Gomez. Scott Moore flew out to Gomez, allowing Pearce to tag and advance to third. That brought up Bogusevic, who stroked a 3-1 pitch up the middle under two Brewers gloves for the blessed, glorious walk-off hit.
Man of the Match:
Bogey! With a most honorable honorable mention to Carlos Corporan.
Goat of the Game:
No goat tonight. Astros win!
