Astros at Phillies, 4/23/07
Score: Phanatics 11, Astros 4
W: Eaton (2-1) L: Sampson (2-1)
Homeruns: A. Rodriguez 2 (14). According to ESPN, nothing else matters.
March to 3000: 2,946 (1×4, HR)
Read Alyson’s Substitute’s Report Here: Santoliquito
Or the AP recap here: Yahoo!

Credit to Santoliquito for the perfect summary:

Chris Sampson knew there would be nights like this, when his mechanics are slightly off, his out-pitch sinker isn’t sinking very well and everything is up in the strike zone, tantalizing out there to be swatted.

Pigpen’s leadoff dong, the fifty-first of his career, was quickly forgotten by the bottom of the first, as it became obvious to anyone with the gift of sight and the Phillies would do with Sampson as they pleased this night. Sampson gave up 2 in the first, 2 in the second, and another 3 (2 after 2 outs) in the fourth. Every ball was met square, everything sounded like a rocket off the bat.

A moment here: I’m all for getting AB’s for the bench – Loretta and Lamb, especially, must be kept sharp. However, putting your worst possible infield alignment behind your biggest groundball pitcher is not a likely recipe for success. The fourth inning amply demonstrated this – Utley’s FC might have been a DP with Everett on the turn, and Burrell and Helms’ singles would have almost certainly been snared by AE.

Moehler was teased by getting up in the pen, but instead it was Rick White in relief in the fifth. Borkowski ruled out another late-inning comeback with a 4-spot in the seventh, and that was all she wrote.

Well, except for Brownie’s seemingly incoherent ramblings. And Alkie’s now-difficult decision on whether to continue as Chris Sampson’s cowboy dentist.

Astros try to right the ship tonight against the Pirates.

Read the PBP in the GameZone, but only if you have a strong stomach: GameZone
Discuss in the TalkZone: TZ