All of the offensive action of Friday night's game in Tampa was packed into the first inning. The Astros pecked out a run against Jose Contreras, but New York struck back in the bottom half with two against Jeriome Robertson. That slim lead held up the rest of the way, as the Yankees beat Houston 2-1, dropping the Astros' ST record to 5-3 headed into Mexico for this weekend's games with the Florida Marlins.

Despite the loss, I, for one, was pleased with the pitching effort of Robertson, who faced New York's regular lineup over three good innings, and with the effort of those who followed him--Brandon Duckworth for three, Bobby Chouinard, and Tony Fiore. Nor was I especially bummed that Houston couldn't do much damage against Contreras, Scott Proctor, Sam Marciniak, Paul Quantrill, and Tom Gordon. If the game suggested anything, it suggested once more the deep, unchangeable truth that good pitching will beat good hitting. If these two teams meet in October you-know-where, this is what we have to look forward to.

The Yankees' pitchers were outstanding, striking out twelve Astros and allowing just six hits. Two of those hits caught Contreras before he had settled in. Jose Vizcaino singled to LF with one out in the first, was wild pitched to 2B, and scored when Jason Lane (batting in Lance Berkman's # 5 spot) singled also to LF. But beyond this uprising, Houston could do little. Although it remains to be seen whether Contreras has the stamina to hold up as a starting pitcher over a full season, nobody doubts his stuff; and there was no doubting Proctor's or Marciniak's, either. Quantrill and Gordon, as veterans, did as they were expected to do in the late going, with Gordon getting a pop fly 3-1 double play off the bat of Eric Bruntlett in the ninth to end it.

New York wiped out Houston's lead very quickly in the bottom of the first, but Robertson battled even then, and pitched well afterwards, too. Derek Jeter singled to RF with one out and Alex Rodriguez walked. Robertson busted Jason Giambi up with a curve for a strikeout on the second out, but Gary Sheffield bested him after a fairly long AB with a game-tying base hit to LF. Hideki Matsui followed with an RBI single to RF and that gave New York a lead it would not relinquish. Robertson allowed only one more hit after the first inning, and the Astros' relievers after Robertson gave up only one hit--a seventh-inning hit off Chouinard, but even that runner was wiped out on a 2-6 caught stealing.

The trouble was Houston could get no offense going. It's best chance was against Marciniak in the sixth when a single and a painful HBP on Ryan Thompson's left elbow (hope he's ok) put two on, but a 6-4-3 double play ended the threat and the inning. The Astros had DP trouble of all kinds in the late going. Bruntlett, who ended the game on that 3-1 double play, also led off the seventh with a single but allowed himself to be decoyed into sliding into 2B on a Charlton Jimerson fly ball. That meant, of course, that he had to re-touch 2B on the way back to 1B and Darren Bragg's throw in from CF doubled him off easily.

Both teams started their veteran lineups and for about three innings gave us a taste of what late October might be like. After that time, however, Jimy Williams pulled the guys who'll be making the flight to Mexico and played his minor-leaguers in camp--Jason Alfaro, Willy Tavaras, Chris Tremie, among others. For that reason, except for Robertson's bounceback performance, I don't put a whole lot of stock in what Houston did tonight, except to say that, as a whole, they acquitted themselves well in a close game played in the old style.

Having drunk a Dos Equis and eaten a pile of French fries not two weeks ago on the beach at Cozumel, the voice of Mexico doth now call me back most seductively to a ballpark, if not back to that lovely sand. Bless me, however, if I even know what time Saturday's game starts. I shall find out the time, however, and be here for you after the game's end. (Besides, I can't go back. I'm still peeling sunburn.)