Thursday, June 21, 2007 |
Terry Evans And The Great Angels Walk Experiment: Angels 8, Astros 4
Ironically enough, Shea's hitting a lot better than he was earlier in the season, .370/.414/.370 in 29 June plate appearances, but it's hard to say if it would have made a difference in this game. Wandy Rodriguez preceded Evans' two-run jack with Mike Napoli's infield single; yet that was the last hit the Angels would get until the sixth. Rodriguez retired the side in order for three straight innings, and aside from a Chone Figgins single — his second of the night — the Angels couldn't help themselves at all.
Meantime, the Astros were making themselves right at home by making Ervin Santana work, and work hard. Hunter Pence, as hot a rookie as I've ever seen, blasted a one-out solo homer in the top of the first. Two more Astros crossed the plate on RBI singles from Hunter Pence and Lance Berkman in the second, and still a fourth in the fourth off — no points for guessing — Pence again. Between times, they rocked Santana for nine hits and a walk, but the important thing was that only two of them were for extra bases, the Pence homer and Mark Loretta's first inning double. Santana can thank his fielders for that, because four of his outs were hard liners to center, and at least one was a single down the right field line that (if the Angels had hit it) would have been extra bases for sure.
Given that Rodriguez was dealing, the Angels had to hope they could knock him out and get into the soft Astros bullpen. Houston's relievers have a 4.70 ERA with a 9-12 record, fourth-worst in the NL. Rodriguez started the seventh like any of his other innings, easily retiring Robb Quinlan (0-for-3 in this game with a walk). Howie Kendrick then got aboard on a close play at first that was (incorrectly, IMO) ruled an error on shortstop Mike Lamb, who threw wide and drew Berkman off first.
And then the most incredible thing happened: Mike Napoli walked. That brought in Dave Borkowski, and then it began to rain walks. In fact, four straight Angels walked, including Terry Evans, who should be the last possible player to get one, and walks from Reggie Willits and Chone Figgins drove in Kendrick and Napoli. Orlando Cabrera's sac fly plated Evans, and Vlad finally ended his homerless streak by blasting one to bring the game to 8-4 and prove that walks are, like, really, really important, as is hitting the ball hard.
As has been true with this whole series, though, the Astros didn't go down easily, and when Scot Shields came in for the eighth, we knew right away we were in for a rough ride after he gave up another single to Mark Loretta to lead off the frame. By and by, he loaded up the bases with only one out, made on a hard running catch to center. Shields then got Eric Bruntlett and Craig Biggio to strike out to end the threat, and the audience's hyperventilating.
Frankie did what he usually does to end the game, this time without any excitement. After the hysteria and name-calling to start the game, it seemed mildly unfair that Santana should miss out on the win because Hector Carrasco made the final out of the seventh, but Santana had not pitched especially well (though Helen tells me that on TV, he was making good pitches but the Astros were hitting them). There are some interesting young players on this club, and the NL Central may need to pay attention.
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