\jeff{krimmel}

Astros-White Sox Game One

October 22, 2005 – 5:12 pm

Here is my second attempt at live blogging a baseball postseason game. Hopefully this game does not end in quite so crushing a manner as the last one did, with Albert Pujols hitting a home run at the end of the game to win it for the Cardinals. A few questions should be answered tonight about where this series will be heading in the next week or so.

5:11PM
A very impressive one, two, three inning for Jose Contreras. Craig Biggio and Willie Taveras made contact, at least, which is something to take into subsequent innings. Lance Berkman got caught staring at strike three, which was such an obvious call that A.J. Pierzynski, the White Sox catcher, had flipped the ball back toward the mound and started trotting toward the dugout before the home plate umpire made the call. Now it’s time to see if Roger Clemens can match Jose Contreras.

5:21PM
At the end of a very nice at bat, Jermaine Dye hit a 3-2 pitch over the right field wall off of Roger Clemens. The White Sox are up 1-0.

5:24PM
After falling behind Paul Konerko 3-0, Clemens got him to ground out to the shortstop to end the inning. The White Sox had about as successful a first inning as they could have hoped to have, shutting down the Stros in order and making Clemens throw too many pitches while getting a run off of him. I hope Clemens can settle down as the game goes on, because multi-run deficits are not things the Stros are good at overcoming.

5:28PM
After a long fly out by Morgan Ensberg, Mike Lamb hit a home run to dead center field. The game is tied 1-1.

5:32PM
Jason Lane grounded into a double play to end the inning. With Mike Lamb’s home run, the long fly out by Morgan Ensberg, and the foul ball Jason Lane ripped toward left field, I must say I like the way the Stros are making contact against Contreras. He’s not having to throw too many pitches, though, which may come back to haunt the Stros. I’m anxious to see how Clemens looks in inning number two. Middle of the second inning.

5:38PM
No one out. Runners on first and third. Clemens is not looking good tonight. I hope he’s able to clear the inning only giving up one run.

5:46PM
With two outs, Juan Uribe hit a ball into left-center field, scoring A.J. Pierzynski. Combining that with the run scored by Carl Everett, the White Sox lead 3-1. This is getting ugly. I hope Clemens at least keeps it close, because it will quickly get to the point where our lineup can’t make up the difference. A sad turn of events for the Astros early in game one.

5:52PM
Roger Clemens strikes out Scott Podsednik to end the inning. Clemens really is looking bad tonight. He’s already thrown over 50 pitches. The Stros will be lucky to have him last through the fifth inning. The offense needs to come together, score at least a run, and stop the bleeding. It will be interesting to see how the Stros patch together the rest of this game pitching-wise, with Clemens looking like he’s due for multiple runs allowed every inning he takes the mound. A sad way to go for possibly his last World Series start. End of the second inning.

6:02PM
Lance Berkman hit a doube along the right field foul line, scoring Adam Everett and Craig Biggio. The game is tied 3-3.

6:07PM
Morgan Ensberg grounded out to end the inning. Like I was saying before, I do like the contact the Astros hitters are making against Contreras. I also think it has to be a huge relief knowing the game is tied entering the bottom of the third inning. I really hope our pitching situation gets ironed out here. If Clemens is hurt, we have to find a way to make it through these last six innings without opening the flood gates. Our offense is producing, but I’m not sure that can last the whole game.

6:19PM
Wandy Rodriguez started the bottom of the third inning for Roger Clemens. Clemens is obviously hurt, which does not bode well for later on in the series, if the series makes it that far. The White Sox sure are fortunate to run into teams whose ace starting pitchers are having health issues. Rodriguez pitched a good inning, though, posting the first scoreless inning for Astros pitching. Let’s hope he can make it through the sixth inning at least. End of the third inning.

6:26PM
A quick half-inning for Contreras. It looks like he has settled in a bit after a rough first three innings. I hope Wandy Rodriguez can give the Stros another solid, scoreless inning. We need to keep this close until the heart of our bullpen can shut things down.

6:32PM
Joe Crede just hit a home run to make it 4-3 in favor of the White Sox. I’m not sure the Stros can keep up with this.

6:38PM
Rodriguez got the Stros through the fourth inning only allowing one run. It has to be a tough situation for a rookie like Wandy Rodriguez to follow a veteran like Roger Clemens in game one of the World Series. We need to keep this thing close. At this point, with the injury situation to Clemens, you have to think game one would be gravy for the Astros. We’re not out of this yet, one run down at the end of four innings.

6:43PM
Another quick one, two, three inning for Contreras. This guy is on. Wandy Rodriguez has to slow this White Sox lineup down and allow the Astros offense enough time to make up this one run deficit. The bottom of the fifth inning will be key.

6:50PM
Runners on first and second base; no one out. Wandy Rodriguez is having a tough time out there. The White Sox still lead 4-3.

6:55PM
The Astros somehow made it out of the fith inning without giving up a run. Hopefully the offense can turn it around and make up this one run deficit. We are now to the innings where our bullpen should be able to shut things down and keep it close. Oh, and one of the White Sox fans had a sign that said, “Houston, we have a problem.” That was pretty funny…in 1971. Believe it or not, that sign has been done a million times already, though I understand the motivation. It’s kind of like doing the Hook ‘em Horns hand sign upside down when you’re playing Texas. It’s been done. Over and over and over again.

7:03PM
A leadoff double by Willie Taveras goes to waste as the Astros fail to score in the top of the sixth inning. Keep it close, guys. Our offense needs time to get this run. Middle of the sixth inning.

7:10PM
Wandy Rodriguez is being lifted, and Chad Qualls is coming in. I think the Astros have to be happy with what they got from Rodriguez, but it is clear Wandy is not of the caliber that is required to win World Series games. He was very wild tonight, walking way too many batters over the course of his time on the mound. Hopefully Qualls can come in and take care of the rest of the inning, giving our offense another chance to make up this one run deficit. One out in the bottom of the sixth inning.

7:17PM
Chad Qualls got the Stros through the sixth inning without any damage. Now the offense needs to come alive. Our pitching staff is giving us all it can at this point, and if we can somehow find a way to get this game, it would be a huge mental boost. Come on Stros.

7:24PM
The Astros fail to score a run in yet another inning. Two more innings left for the Astros offense to make up at least a one run deficit. It’s starting to get tight. Middle of the seventh inning.

7:37PM
Chad Qualls pitched another impressive half inning in keeping the Astros within a run of the White Sox. The Astros offense has two frames to come up with this elusive run. It needs to start right now. End of the seventh inning.

7:42PM
Jose Contreras was taken out, and Neal Cotts was put in by White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen after a leadoff double by Willie Taveras. This is the opportunity the Astros have been waiting for. We need our big bats to show up and at least tie this game. Come on Stros.

7:51PM
After two excruciating strikeouts with runners on first and third, Neal Cotts is being lifted for Bobby Jenks. Jeff Bagwell is coming to the plate. After watching those two strikeouts, I’m not optimistic. It would be a wonderful story, though, if Jeff Bagwell knocks in the tieing run. Being the second longest tenured Astro after Craig Biggio, it certainly would be fitting.

7:57PM
A third strikeout ends this half of the inning. One more chance left Astros. One more chance left. Middle of the eighth inning.

8:10PM
A two out triple by Scott Podsednik scored A.J. Pierzynski, making the score 5-3 in favor of the White Sox. That about wraps things up.

8:13PM
Russ Springer gets Tadahito Iguchi to fly out to right field to end the eighth inning, one out too late for the Astros. Asking an offense to put together two runs when it has failed to score one in the last five innings is asking a bit much. It’s about time to wind up game one, I fear.

8:19PM
Bobby Jenks ends the game with a strikeout. The White Sox win 5-3. The White Sox sure do look good. Their offense is for real, that’s for sure. I like how the Stros got to Contreras early, but as per most of the season, we failed to score runs throughout. Combine shaky run production with your starting pitcher leaving after the second inning with an injury, and having allowed three runs while doing so, and this loss is understandable. I said it before, and I will say it again. The White Sox sure are fortunate to run into teams with ailing starting pitchers. They won this game, hands down, though. It’s time for the Astros to come back tomorrow night and tie this series. We can do this Astros.