Astros stumble for second night
(c) Associated Press
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For the Astros, Wednesday's 6-3 loss to Atlanta to close out a 3-3 homestand was the sort of numbing loss we can expect to see more of this season. No one thing was to blame for losing, just a lot of things that came up short.
Wandy Rodriguez wasn't awful, but he wasn't good. He couldn't hold an early 1-0 lead on a J.D. Martinez homer, giving up a tying run in the second and three more in the fourth which put the offense in a hole it couldn't climb out of.
The defense committed four errors and led to two unearned runs. The bullpen wasn't awful but they did allow the Braves to extend their lead with solo runs in the final two innings. By contrast, Atlanta's bullpen pitched four innings and surrendered five hits and three walks but held Houston to just one run.
So, yes, the offense, for the second night in a row, had their chances to catch the Braves but couldn't summon the big hit to drive them in. In the sixth, Travis Buck hit into a double play that killed a rally. In the seventh, after Carlos Lee walked to pull Houston within 4-3, Matt Downs bounced into a fielders choice to end the threat.
In the eighth, Marwin Gonzalez lined into a double play and, in the ninth, Lee looked at strike three from Craig Kimbrel with two men on to end it.
Put it all together and you have a good effort that was still a loss, the type we can expect about 90 more of this year. The good news is that the top of the order is clicking very well (six hits combined from Martinez, Jordan Schafer and Jose Altuve) and Rhiner Cruz tossed two shutout innings in relief.
The Astros hit the road for the first time in 2012 when they visit Miami and the imploding Marlins for a three-game weekend series in their new ballpark. Lucas Harrell (1-0) will try to duplicate his impressive debut on Friday against Ricky Nolasco (1-0) with the first pitch scheduled for 6:10 Central. Miami was hoping for a rousing start with all the off-season upgrades but are, instead, 2-4 through Wednesday and without manager Ozzie Guillen who was suspended over remarks offensive to Miami's Cuban-American community.
The Astros can look forward to adding shortstop Jed Lowrie to the lineup when he comes off the disabled list but the rookie Gonzalez hit .297 with four runs scored in his absence.
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