Brad Lidge induced Shawn Green to hit into a nifty game-ending 3-6-1 double play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to spur the Stros to a 3-2 over the Dodgers on Friday night before almost 53,000 at Dodger Stadium in L.A.
Andy Pettitte rebounded from last Sunday’s awful outing against the Rangers and allowed just two runs on four hits, striking out four with no walks over seven innings. Lidge pitched the last two innings, and really had an adventure in the ninth as he almost walked in the tying run.
The long dormant Stros’ bats generated only seven hits, including Carlos Beltran‘s solo yak. Light hitting Viz drove in the winning run in the eighth after Palmeiro blooped a pinch double and Bidg sacrificed him to third. Both Beltran and Viz left the game with bruise injuries, but neither appeared to be serious.
By the way, inasmuch as Viz has had a good week of hitting, his slugging percentage is now approaching that of Bags, a clear sign that Bags’ decline this season is not a temporary slump. We are seeing the inevitable decline of a Hall of Fame quality player. I am now just hopeful that Bags and the Stros can work out an arrangement that will allow Bags to retire with dignity and not sully his Hall of Fame quality career.
The Rocket takes the hill for the Stros on Saturday afternoon against the Dodgers’ Wilson Alvarez (2-3, 3.77) as the Stros struggle to stay in the playoff hunt. The Stros enter Saturday’s game 9.5 games behind the Cards in the NL Central race, but only 2.5 games behind the second place Cubbies.