The Stros took advantage of Wade Miller‘s gutty pitching performance and scored runs from unlikely sources as they beat the Angels 3-1 Sunday afternoon to take two out of the three game series at the Juice Box.
Miller gave up six hits and four walks in seven innings, but the only run the Angels could plate against him came when JK went brain dead and made an error when he double clutched an easy throw to first base on a two out, bases loaded grounder in the fifth. Lidge and Dotel had a couple of anxious moments in the eighth and ninth, but muddled through to secure the win.
Meanwhile, the Stros’ fielded an incredibly weak lineup that included below average hitters Viz, Ausmus, and Eric Brumlett, but all three of those negative RCAA (“runs created against average,” explained here) hitters contributed to the Stros’ offense. Brumlett hit his second career yak in the fifth, and then Viz doubled and scored on Ensberg‘s broken bat single. Ausmus then plated the third run with a perfect suicide squeeze bunt in the sixth. Based on this veritable offensive explosion, Manager Jimy will probably play these guys for the next week.
The Stros are now 35-33 and trail the Cards (41-28) by 5.5 games in the NL Central. The Pirates (26-39) now visit the Juice Box for four games beginning on Monday night, and it would be a very opportune time for the Stros to get back in the NL Central race. Anything less than three wins over the next four games would not bode well for the Stros’ chances for the remainder of the season. Redding, Roy O, Munro and the Rocket are the Stros’ scheduled pitchers for the Pirates series.