Post by Fish Troll on Apr 2, 2007 23:17:58 GMT -5
Bullpen costs Astros in loss to Bucs
Lidge gives up tying run in ninth, spoils Oswalt's solid effort
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
HOUSTON -- If the Astros bullpen is supposed to be a strength of the club, it could be a long year at Minute Maid Park.
Two relievers -- Brad Lidge and Chad Qualls -- ensured all Opening Day goodwill evaporated in a matter of minutes on Monday, serving up home runs that nullified a spectacular outing by Roy Oswalt and causing the Astros to lose, 4-2, to the Pirates in 10 innings.
A sellout crowd of 43,803 -- the largest in Minute Maid Park history -- happily stood on its feet with two outs in the ninth, only to watch Lidge allow a solo homer to Xavier Nady. An inning later, Jason Bay's two-run shot erased any hopes of a comeback, and the Astros were denied the Opening Day win, which would have been Oswalt's 99th career victory.
Lidge breezed through the first two batters, catching Adam LaRoche looking at a called third strike and coaxing a groundout from Ronny Paulino.
But Nady launched the first pitch from Lidge and deposited it quite effortlessly into the left field Crawford Boxes, a section Carlos Lee was blatantly aiming for -- and missing -- much of the night.
Qualls retired Chris Duffy, but Jack Wilson reached on an infield single to set the stage for Bay, whose shot to the left field Crawford Boxes sealed the win for the Bucs.
Craig Biggio was hitless in his first three at-bats but singled in the eighth, bringing his career hit mark to 2,931. Biggio now has sole possession of 31st place on the all-time hit list, passing Jake Beckley and Rogers Hornsby.
Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Lidge gives up tying run in ninth, spoils Oswalt's solid effort
By Alyson Footer / MLB.com
HOUSTON -- If the Astros bullpen is supposed to be a strength of the club, it could be a long year at Minute Maid Park.
Two relievers -- Brad Lidge and Chad Qualls -- ensured all Opening Day goodwill evaporated in a matter of minutes on Monday, serving up home runs that nullified a spectacular outing by Roy Oswalt and causing the Astros to lose, 4-2, to the Pirates in 10 innings.
A sellout crowd of 43,803 -- the largest in Minute Maid Park history -- happily stood on its feet with two outs in the ninth, only to watch Lidge allow a solo homer to Xavier Nady. An inning later, Jason Bay's two-run shot erased any hopes of a comeback, and the Astros were denied the Opening Day win, which would have been Oswalt's 99th career victory.
Lidge breezed through the first two batters, catching Adam LaRoche looking at a called third strike and coaxing a groundout from Ronny Paulino.
But Nady launched the first pitch from Lidge and deposited it quite effortlessly into the left field Crawford Boxes, a section Carlos Lee was blatantly aiming for -- and missing -- much of the night.
Qualls retired Chris Duffy, but Jack Wilson reached on an infield single to set the stage for Bay, whose shot to the left field Crawford Boxes sealed the win for the Bucs.
Craig Biggio was hitless in his first three at-bats but singled in the eighth, bringing his career hit mark to 2,931. Biggio now has sole possession of 31st place on the all-time hit list, passing Jake Beckley and Rogers Hornsby.
Alyson Footer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
houston.astros.mlb.com/news/gameday_recap.jsp?ymd=20070402&content_id=1876195&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=hou
