This was a complete game. No, Wandy only went seven innings. It was complete dominance by our Astros. The team excelled in all facets of the game, and for one night at least, it was our turn to be on the right side of a laugher.
As the headline indicates, Mr. Rodriguez was a man amongst boys: 7 innings, 2 H, 2 BB, 10 K. He had all of his pitches working, and finished with a 69:36 ball to strike ratio. Laynce Nix wore the most golden of sombreros, stirking out three times in three ABs before being taken out in a double switch. Wandy's curveball, it seems, was especially lethal:
Those blips at the bottom left are the curveballs that he threw. Approximately 2/3 of them went for a strike. His curve is one of the best in the game, or at least some guy named Nolan Ryan thinks so. Chris Sampson and Jeff Fulchino pitched the eighth and ninth innings respectively to preserve the shut out.
Offensively, Geoff Blum, Carlos Lee, Hunter Pence and Pudge Rodriguez all had at least two hits, and combined for all seven of the Astros' RBI. Lance Berkman went hitless, but did walk and score a run.
Felipe Paulino will take the ball today in yet another rubber game for the Astros early in the season.
0 recs | 9 comments
2 more games with the Reds left. :)
And Wandy of course, rocked!
entropic soul - April 18, 2009
Great outing by Wandy...
…solid game by almost everyone and miggy is continuing to flourish in the two hole…his diminished power but solid hitting has turned out to b a plus for him in the 2 spot since he doesnt need to try as much to drive in runs…he can just go out and play and get good pitches with lance behind him…
The Bourn Believer - April 18, 2009
Wandy has a simply nasty curve
and he’s just awesome now that he’s added that changeup.
Only_A_Lad - April 18, 2009
From the sounds of things
Pudge has been very good at dealing with Wandy. Rodriguez-Rodriguez Synergy!
AstroAndy - April 19, 2009
Makes that signing even more justifiable
goingforthecorner - April 19, 2009
And Bradley Thomas Lidge finally blew a save for the Phillies
poor guy’s gonna get death threats.
And this is the most awesome picture ever of Wandy (well, except for the Rainbow Guts ones)
Lima-esque
Only_A_Lad - April 19, 2009
And
the Brewers lost on a strike-out-throw-out DP caused by a hit-and-run. When are major league managers going to start listening to me about this?
Only_A_Lad - April 19, 2009
This Has Been Posted Before, But...
Wandy has an amazing curveball, as in the best one in baseball if you are willing to check your prejudices at the door.
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/searching-for-the-games-best-pitch/
He may be the most underrated pitcher in baseball, probably because he was such a later bloomer. Anytime he does anything good, people discount it as luck, basically ignoring the fact that the guy has been a lights out starter for over two years now (some bad luck inflated his ERA in 2007, but the peripherals were all there).
seanbergmanrules - April 19, 2009
you're probably preaching to the choir around here...
I’m always amazed at how little respect Wandy has gotten…
clack - April 19, 2009
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