Downs: Two-run bomb
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The first half of the Monday contest between New York and Houston sailed along quickly but the second half went as fast as running in glue. It all came out okay as Jed Lowrie singled home Jordan Schafer in the bottom of the eighth as the Astros nipped the Mets, 4-3, to start the homestand on a positive note while closing April with a 9-14 record.
Knuckleballing author R.A. Dickey and gutty Bud Norris mowed down opponents until the bottom of the sixth when a couple of bloop singles preceded an RBI grounder by Travis Buck. Matt Downs followed with a two-run blast over the Crawfords that gave Norris a safe-looking 3-0 lead.
But that lead evaporated quickly when the Mets scored three in the seventh, capped by a two-run single from rookie Kirk Nieuwenhuis that ended Bud's seven-K night in disappointing fashion.
Mad perhaps that he didn't get Norris a batter earlier, Brad Mills emptied his bullpen one out at a time, sending out five relievers to get the next four outs.
Without their two power bats in the lineup, the Astros scrapped for runs and it paid off in the eighth when Schafer beat out an infield hit, swiped second without a throw and scooted home when Lowrie sent a roller through the middle. Brett Myers worked the ninth for his fifth save.
J.A. Happ (1-1) will get May started when he opposes Jonathon Niese (2-0) in Tuesday's 7:05 Central contest. No word yet whether El Wally Pipp will return after his backup homered twice in two days.
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