Astros 3
Angels 0
WP Gregerson (4-1)
LP Alvarez (2-2)
Time: 3:02
Attendance 27,598
submitted by Mr. Happy
What were you doing when Castro the Astro parked the three run shabby that ended last night’s game? I was lying in bed all prepared to stay up for free baseball. Unlike BudGirl, I personally had no faith that Castro could end that game. I’ve not been so glad to have been wrong in quite some time.
Frankly, while I love Castro’s arm (and what’s not to love about it?), he has regressed offensively to the point where I don’t mind him not being out there anymore (except that we have to contend with the frontal assault on Conger’s noodle arm). I’ve learned not to expect much O from catchers, but it’d be nice to get a catcher who had the whole package of good hit, good arm and good handler of pitchers psychologist. But these birds are scarcer than hen’s teeth.
This was the type of game that I love so much—a pitcher’s duel, with both Scott Kazmir and Matt Shoemaker matching zeros through seven frames. Fuck a bunch of hitters-grab some pine, meat. Shoemaker exited after the seventh inning, but Kazmir pitched into the eighth frame, exiting in favor of Pat Neshek, who was boss in striking Trout out with runners on 2B and 3B.
In the home ninth, after Valbuena does what he seems to do best, which is strike out, pesky Jed Lowrie coaxed a walk. After Colby Rasmus flew out, Marwin Gonzalez, who’s been strong lately, singled to CF, moving Lowrie to 2B, bringing Castro to the dish. The ball he hit-in a 1-2 count-must have been a mistake because Castro doesn’t usually make you throw him a strike to get him out. But it’s a mistake that I’ll take.
The GameZone was slow at first but built up a healthy head of steam as the game progressed. I appreciated more baseball talk and less backbiting snark in last night’s effort. Come check out the GameZone; you might learn something.