The Astros lost Game #2 to the Giants, 7-5.

The Good News

We had 15 hits (all singles), and could have had a few more - we hit some line drives right at guys.
Dan Miceli looked great, getting two grounders back to the mound and two pop outs.
Brad Lidge looked almost untouchable again.

The Bad News

The Astros should have been charged with at least 6 errors. Jeff Kent made 3 by himself, overthrowing Pettitte at 1st base and bobbling two manageable ground balls. Adam Everett tripped and missed an easy pop fly. Mike Lamb threw a ball away. Lance Berkman got turned around and missed a catchable fly ball.

Andy Pettitte looked mediocre. He gave up some cheap hits and walked a few guys, but could have easily escaped trouble, except for that one Giants hitter that always gives you trouble. You guessed it - Frank Stallone. I mean, Neifi Perez. He ripped us up with 3 hits and 4 RBI's. That's painful.

Jimy Williams again did almost everything in his power to give the game away. First he starts Mike Lamb, an absolutely inferior player to Morgan Ensberg. This terrifies me - Brett Tomko, the Giants starting pitcher, is the definition of an average right-handed starter...and Ensberg didn't start.

Jimy then made a number of questionable pinch-hitting moves:

Bases loaded, 2 outs, down 4-3, Andy Pettitte up. He elects not to pinch hit. Pettitte strikes out on 3 pithces.

2 on, 2 out, down 6-3. He pitch hits with Jose Vizcaino. He grounds out to 2B.

Jimy doesn't pinch hit for Brad Ausmus OR Adam Everett in the 9th inning, so Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg both end the game on the bench.

Lance Berkman had 3 walks (awesome) but showed little power - he seems late on everything and hit a couple of weak ground balls to 1B.

Brandon Duckworth looked pretty bad - he let the first 4 batters he faced reach base, although he then K'd two straight and retired Bonds on a fly. But his velocity was down (nothing above 90), he had trouble throwing his breaking pitches for strikes, and...he just didn't look great. I don't think he'll have a good year.

It was a really frustrating game again. I can handle losing - you've got to, if you're a baseball fan. But again I feel like we could have won this game with the right lineup and the right moves (and better defense.) The main things that bug me are the defense and Lamb starting. We got some hits, and our pitching wasn't terrible, but we are not a good defensive team, and Morgan Ensberg >>>>> Mike Lamb.

That's all for tonight. Better luck tomorrow: Roger Clemens vs. Jerome Williams.