2009 - Kazuo Matsui beats out an infield single in Milwaukee for his 2,000th career hit combined from his career as a star shortstop in the Japanese majors as well as his six years in the National League. Play is stopped as Japanese officials recognize Matsui's automatic induction into Japan's Meikyukai, similar to our Hall of Fame. The event gets live television coverage back in his homeland. The Astros, however, fall in a 6-2 defeat.
2004 - Down 4-2 in the ninth, the Astros rally for three runs to nip the Expos, 5-4. Jason Lane and Orlando Palmeiro deliver RBI singles. Carlos Beltran delivers a two-run homer in the first. With a record of 57-60, Houston is 19-1/2 games in back of St. Louis and six games behind wild card leaders Chicago and San Francisco. The ninth-inning rally sparks a two-month run unmatched in franchise history.
1980 - In the 20th inning, the Padres play good hosts, giftwrapping a rally so Houston can celebrate a 3-1 victory. An error by Ozzie Smith puts Luis Pujols aboard, a late throw to second moves him up then Jerry Mumphrey muffs a fly ball from Terry Puhl to bring in the winning runs. Rookie Dave Smith, a San Diego product, pitches the final four innings for the win, ending the 6-1/2 hour marathon. 1977 - Art Howe's first-inning grand slam keys a six-run first inning on Houston's way to a 15-3 laugher in Atlanta. Rob Sperring and J.R. Richard also launch bombs before the Astros wait through a rain delay with a 15-0 lead. Sperring gets four hits. Dan Larson tosses four innings of relief for the "save".
1970 - Don Wilson hurls a 16-hitter during a 7-3 victory in Montreal. That's no typo. Wilson caps a five-run first inning with an RBI single and this lead lets him stay in the game as he dodges Montreal's bullets all day. Fred Gladding is summoned to get the final out after Wilson allows three straight hits with two out in the ninth.
Date Opp Result
8/01 @SEA* W 8-3
8/02 off --
8/03 @LA W 2-1
8/04 @LA W 14-0
8/05 @LA* L 3-2
8/06 @SF W 3-1
8/07 @SF* W 2-1
8/08 off --
8/09 SEA L 8-6
8/10 SEA L 5-2
8/11 SEA L 3-2
8/12 SEA* L 4-3
8/13 off --
8/14 COL L 5-1
8/15 COL ----
8/16 off --
8/17 @OAK ----
8/18 @OAK* ----
8/19 @OAK* ----
8/20 @SEA ----
8/21 @SEA ----
8/22 @SEA* ----
8/23 off --
8/24 @ANA ----
8/25 @ANA ----
8/26 @ANA* ----
8/27 OAK ----
8/28 OAK ----
8/29 OAK* ----
8/30 ANA ----
8/31 ANA ----
* - day game.
April record: 20 - 10
May record: 16 - 12
June record: 19 - 8
July record: 13 - 11
August record: 5 - 6
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Rockies Extend Houston's Woes
Offense Musters Just Three Hits
Marquez: Three-hitter over seven
(c) Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle
The Astros need to put their offense in the Lost and Found. A three-hit performance by German Marquez was enough that even Justin Verlander couldn't withstand it. Houston and Verlander lost to Colorado, 5-1, on Tuesday night as the white-hot Oakland A's won again to get within a game of first place in the AL West.
Verlander actually shut the hard-hitting Rockies out for the first five innings and took a 1-0 lead on Josh Reddick's RBI single in the fifth but Nolan Arenado turned the game around with a two-run homer in the sixth that pushed the Astros to a franchise record ninth-straight home defeat.
Colorado played "add on" with single tallies in the last three innings to build on their lead which put them a game behind Arizona and a game ahead of the Dodgers in the wild N.L. West race.
The Astros are 0-5 on the homestand, losers of six straight and looking less like world champions with each time out. The home series mercifully ends Wednesday night with a 7:10 pm Central battle with the Rox. Gerrit Cole (10-5), loser of his last three outings, tries to stop the bleeding as he faces lefthander Tyler Anderson (6-4).
Help is on the horizon. George Springer is expected to come off the disabled list when the Astros travel to Oakland on Friday. Brian McCann will begin an extended rehab assignment Thursday in Fresno. Reliever Chris Devenski is expected back soon if room can be found on the roster for him. There's still no firm timetable on Jose Altuve and his sore right knee.
After a day off Thursday, the Astros will face the Athletics head-on to begin a nine-game West Coast swing that will set the starting positions for the September stretch run.
