What’s worse:
Getting beaten down by a pitcher who hadn’t gone the distance in nine years or
Giving up four hits to a player who had only three career knocks?
Well, they both happened tonight in Pittsburgh. Brian Moehler tossed a complete game – his first since 8-8-00 to get his second win of the year. He entered the contest with an unsightly 8.31 ERA. And in his lone 2009 start against the Pirates he was ripped to the tune of five runs and seven hits (back on 4-13-09). Moehler nearly tossed a shutout, but Jason Jaramillo drove in a 9th inning run.
In support of Moehler, the Houston offense had three base runners thrown out by Pirate outfielders. But rookie Edwin Maysonet had four hits, four RBIs and scored twice. He doubled twice, singled and homered. Pudge Rodriguez had three safeties as Houston tallied 15 hits overall. Maysonet came into the game with just three hits in his young ML career.
Ross Ohlendorf allowed four of the Astros six runs in five innings. He gave up eight hits and whiffed five as his record fell to 5-5. Moehler gave up five singles, two doubles and two walks while yielding just the one run.
The Good
Freddy Sanchez had two hits, including his ML leading 18th double of the season. Andy LaRoche alos had two hits, to push his BA back over .300.
The Bad
The offense. Oh, man, are they struggling to score.
Is Ohlendorf the new Josh Fogg?
The Rest
Had Maysonet collected another hit, he would’ve been among a handful of players to collect five hit in a game before their 20th career game. The earliest anyone has ever done it is their fifth caeer game. Both former Buc John Wehner and Mike Lansing accomplished that.
Had Maysonet tripled, he would’ve established the mark for earliest in a career for hitting for the cycle. Gary Ward has the record now at game #14 on 9-18-80 when he hit for the cycle against the Brewers.
