5/2/75 HOU @ SF
Joe Niekro cost the Astros in this one. After pitching a scoreless 8th inning, Niekro disintegrated in the 9th. Giving up a walk, a single, and another walk, he loaded the bases with nobody out in a 3-3 game. With the infield drawn in, pinch hitter Glenn Adams grounded one to short. Jerry DaVanon came home to force Von Joshua at the plate. Dave Rader then pinch hit for Ed Goodson. Rader drove one up the middle, scoring Gary Matthews and ending the game.
“I don’t know what the hell he was doing” said Astros manager Pedro Gomez. “He throws a perfect 8th, and then looks like some nervous 21 year old rookie in the 9th. He wasted a hell of an effort by the guys just to get the game tied up.”
That effort was a 2-run rally in the top of the 8th. Pete Falcone dominated for the first 7 innings, allowing only a solo HR to Cliff Johnson (his 7th of the year). But he gave up back to back singles to Greg Gross and Bob Watson to open the 8th. That ended his night, with Charlie Williams coming on in relief. Williams proceeded to walk Johnson (his 3rd of the night) to load the bases. Jose Cruz came on to run for Johnson. Williams then walked pinch hitter Ken Boswell, scoring Gross. Rob Andrews hit a fly ball to center that Joshua almost misplayed, but made a leaping catch to save the play. That mistake was enough to allow even the plodding Bob Watson to score from third to tie the game. Williams then hit DaVanon to load the bases again with only 1 out. However, neither Milt May nor Wilber Howard, both pinch hitting, could push in the go-ahead run.
Giants manager Wes Westrum commented, “We’ve been doing this all year, though after losing 4 in a row, I was getting nervous that we were headed for 5.” After jumping out to an early 10-2 mark, the Giants are 4-6 in their last 10, and are now 2 games behind the red-hot Reds in the NL West.
“If it weren’t for that shaky first inning, JR was just lights out. If we weren’t 2 runs down, I wouldn’t have lifted him for a pinch hitter in the 7th,” said Gomez. He’s right. J.R. Richard allowed only 1 walk and no hits while striking out 4 from innings 2-6. The 3-run first was highlighted by a 2-run triple by Joshua, who would later score on a Matthews single. Joshua leads the majors with 5 triples, though this one was probably helped by the fact that Cliff Johnson was playing in right, and he’s not exactly the world’s fastest right fielder.
“I don’t know what the hell he was doing” said Astros manager Pedro Gomez. “He throws a perfect 8th, and then looks like some nervous 21 year old rookie in the 9th. He wasted a hell of an effort by the guys just to get the game tied up.”
That effort was a 2-run rally in the top of the 8th. Pete Falcone dominated for the first 7 innings, allowing only a solo HR to Cliff Johnson (his 7th of the year). But he gave up back to back singles to Greg Gross and Bob Watson to open the 8th. That ended his night, with Charlie Williams coming on in relief. Williams proceeded to walk Johnson (his 3rd of the night) to load the bases. Jose Cruz came on to run for Johnson. Williams then walked pinch hitter Ken Boswell, scoring Gross. Rob Andrews hit a fly ball to center that Joshua almost misplayed, but made a leaping catch to save the play. That mistake was enough to allow even the plodding Bob Watson to score from third to tie the game. Williams then hit DaVanon to load the bases again with only 1 out. However, neither Milt May nor Wilber Howard, both pinch hitting, could push in the go-ahead run.
Giants manager Wes Westrum commented, “We’ve been doing this all year, though after losing 4 in a row, I was getting nervous that we were headed for 5.” After jumping out to an early 10-2 mark, the Giants are 4-6 in their last 10, and are now 2 games behind the red-hot Reds in the NL West.
“If it weren’t for that shaky first inning, JR was just lights out. If we weren’t 2 runs down, I wouldn’t have lifted him for a pinch hitter in the 7th,” said Gomez. He’s right. J.R. Richard allowed only 1 walk and no hits while striking out 4 from innings 2-6. The 3-run first was highlighted by a 2-run triple by Joshua, who would later score on a Matthews single. Joshua leads the majors with 5 triples, though this one was probably helped by the fact that Cliff Johnson was playing in right, and he’s not exactly the world’s fastest right fielder.
posted by Derek @ 10/22/2005 10:03:00 PM
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