Maxwell: Chases fly in center
(c) Getty Images
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The Astros showed up dressed as the expansion Colt .45s on Friday and played like them too. Those early Colts had trouble scoring runs but they often didn't give up many either. Such was the case in the 3-1 loss to the Dodgers.
Matt Kemp blasted a two-run homer in the first off J.A. Happ and that was essentially the ballgame although few knew it at the time. Happ gave up another run in the third on an RBI single by Andre Ethier and the Astros got a run back in the fourth on Chris Snyder's single. The rest of the night was walks, strikeouts and, particularly for the Astros, wasted scoring opportunities.
Happ walked four and struck out three over six innings but fellow lefty Ted Lilly topped that with six walks and five strikeouts. Lilly gave up just four hits over his six innings, all singles, then watched as his bullpen fanned six of the final eleven Houston batters.
The Astros left nine runners on base including three in the fifth when Jerry Hairston Jr. tagged third base with the ball an eyelash before J.D. Martinez' foot arrived or Houston might have made the game closer.
It won't get any easier for Houston hitters on Saturday when they go up against Clayton Kershaw (0-0) in a 6:05 Central tilt. Kyle Weiland (0-2) will pitch for the Astros.
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