Myers: Great start went awry
(c) Associated Press
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One batter too far. It was the story Tuesday night with Felipe Paulino and the story again Thursday night with Brett Myers. Having tossed a masterful shutout for 6-2/3rds innings, Myers tired near the 100-pitch mark and gave up a run. Manager Brad Mills left him in for one more batter and Scott Podsednik made him pay, drilling a fat pitch over the right field fence for a three-run homer that defeated the Astros, 5-2.
Whether it's because he doesn't trust his middle relief or he just wants to believe his starter can work out of trouble, Mills was burned twice this series where any Astro fans watching would have concluded it was time to make that slow trek to the mound and bring in another pitcher. Yet Mills left the starters in to hang themselves.
Houston started well, plating a pair off substitute starter Anthony Lerew in the first inning on Hunter Pence's two-run double over Podsednik's head in left. Myers, who usually gives up runs in the first, worked out of trouble despite a Pedro Feliz error behind him.
Myers was sharp and effective for the first six innings, occasionally shrugging off misfortune, like when the umpires tossed out the rule book and turned a double play into a single out during a 10-minute ordeal in the fifth. Umpire Mike Everitt has done enough in this series to prove he needs to be sent back to the minors with his bizarre judgement skills.
The fateful seventh started innocently enough. With two away, Mike Aviles stroked a seemingly harmless single. Wilson Betemit followed with an excuse-me infield hit to the right of the mound. Ninth-place batter Yuniesky Betancourt slapped a 2-2 pitch into left to cut Houston's lead to 2-1. Mills stayed in the dugout as the tiring Myers served up Podsednik's homer.
The Astros return home Friday to start a three-game series with the cross-state Texas Rangers. Scott Feldman (4-6) will pitch for Nolan Ryan's boys in the 7:05 Central opener. Wandy Rodriguez (3-9) will pitch for Houston. Given their ERAs, the post-game fireworks display should seem redundant.
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