Miguel Gonzalez (2-2, 4.33) vs Bud Norris (5-4, 3.39)
Somewhere amidst all the Draft Day rumors and excitement, the Astros played a baseball game this afternoon. Houston was trying to win their third series in a row, and Bud Norris did all he could to make that happen. But a day after a 6-HR outburst, their offense returned to the meekness of the preceding two games, scoring once in the first and never again. Astros drop the game and the series 3-1, falling to 22-39 overall.
On the Mound:
*Bud Norris had one bad inning, and flirted with trouble a couple of other times, but ultimately turned in another start he was worthy of winning. Unfortunately that one bad inning was more than the offense could overcome today. His line: 7 IP / 9 H / 3 R / 3 ER / 1 BB / 7 K.
*Jose Cisnero likewise toyed with trouble in the 8th, allowing a pair of singles, but he escaped unscathed and fanned 3 in two scoreless IP.
*Jose Cisnero likewise toyed with trouble in the 8th, allowing a pair of singles, but he escaped unscathed and fanned 3 in two scoreless IP.
At the Plate:
*Houston was held to just one run for the second time this series, with that lone RBI going to J.D. Martinez on a sac fly. He'd finish 1 for 3.
*Brandon Barnes scored the run, singling to start the game and finishing 1 for 3.
*Jason Castro had Houston's only XBH today, doubling in the 1st and going 1 for 3 with a BB and a K.
*Jose Altuve sat out today with a groin injury, so Marwin Gonzalez got the start at second and went 2 for 3.
*Matt Dominguez wrapped up the offense, going 1 for 3 with 2 K.
*Brandon Barnes scored the run, singling to start the game and finishing 1 for 3.
*Jason Castro had Houston's only XBH today, doubling in the 1st and going 1 for 3 with a BB and a K.
*Jose Altuve sat out today with a groin injury, so Marwin Gonzalez got the start at second and went 2 for 3.
*Matt Dominguez wrapped up the offense, going 1 for 3 with 2 K.
Turning Point:
Trailing 1-0, Baltimore started the 4th against Norris with a Chris Davis single and an Adam Jones double to tie the score. A J.J. Hardy RBI single sandwiched between a pair of grounders made it 2-1 Orioles with two out. Then a Ryan Flaherty single and a wild pitch by Budly let Baltimore's third run score, and a 9th inning rally attempt produced no runs, so that inning cost Bud and the Astros the game.
Man of the Match:
Bud Norris. These awards are almost automatically going to Astros starters lately, but that's not a bad thing.
Goat of the Game:
Jimmy Paredes. Golden sombrero for Paredes today, going 0 for 4 with 4 K. Now, onto the Draft...
