The Babies practiced all day at the their Katy base for last night’s Game Four with the Astros and their relentless comeback in the 8th was their reward.
GAME FOUR: ASTROS @ BABIES, TUESDAY, 10/18/05, 7:30 PM
Constellation Field, Sugar Land, Texas
BABIES RALLY AGAINST LIDGE WILDNESS IN 8TH FOR 7-5 COMEBACK WIN
SERIES TIED AT 2 GAMES EACH
It was not a game for memorable starting pitching as both Mike McCroskey of the Babies and Brandon Backe of the Astros gave up 4 runs each in two 5 1/3 mound stints, although one of the Backe runs was unearned. All totaled, both clubs’ pitching staffs gave up 12 runs on the evening (10 earned), 14 hits, 11 walks, 14 strikeouts (8 by McCroskey), 2 wild pitches, 2 hit batters, and one HR (by Jason Lane off McCroskey). There were four lead changes before the Babies finally staged a 3-run comeback inning in the bottom of the 8th off relievers Brad Lidge and Dan Wheeler that would hold in the 9th behind closer Ira Liebman for a 7-5 Babies victory.
On a wind gusting cool night in Sugar Land, Mark Rejmaniak (1-0) took the win for the Babies; Brad Lidge got the loss for the Astros (0-1). Ira Liebman picked up the save (Sv,1) for the Babies.
The Time Warp Series is now tied at 2 games a piece.
Bob Blair (1-0) of the Babies will square off again against the great Roger Clemens (0-1) of the Astros in the last home game for the infantile ones at Constellation Field. After Game Five, the Time Warp Series switches back to Minute Maid Park for a sure Game Six and a Game Seven, if needed. Manager Bob Dorrill stressed that his Babies get up everyday to play a season that is only as long as the next game, but we all know the truth behind the coach-speak: The Babies need Game Five. They don’t want to go back to MMP needing to win two games there to take the Series.
The Babies got no extra base hits in Game Four, but they used the blend of 8 singles, 4 walks, and 2 hit batters to mount the 7 runs they needed for victory. Shortstop Robert Pena of the Babies and 2nd Baseman Craig Biggio of the Astros led all hitters on the day with 3 for 5 numbers. Pena’s hits were all singles, while Biggio’s bashes were all doubles. Jason Lane of the Astros was 2 for 3 with a homer and 3 RBI; and Zach Hajduk was 2 for 5 for the Babies.
Game Four was a sell out gate of 7, 567; Game Five tonight is expected to be the same. – Please come to the 7:30 PM game at Constellation Field and make sure it happens. And remember too, Deacon Jones and Ira Liebman of the Babies are both full-time employees of the Sugar Land Skeeters back in their normal time zone of 2013.
Here’s how the scoring went in Game Four by Inning (In these line summaries, each new batter is preceded by the “*” sign; outs (1) (2) and (3) are shown in parentheses as they occur; changes of pitchers are noted in bold type; and the new score is indicated in parentheses after each run crosses the plate and again, at the end of the half inning time at bat):
Top of First: Astros batting, Mike McCroskey pitching ~
* W Taveras grounds out on a 6-3 play (1); * C Biggio laces a nasty double to center that eludes Babies CFer A Schmelter; * M Ensberg grounds out on a 6-3 play (2); C Biggio moves to 3rd; * L Berkman walks; runners now at the corners; * J Lane single to RF; C Biggio scores from 3rd (Astros, 1-0); L Berkman goes to 3rd; J Lane holds at 1st; * M Lamb strikes out (3); side retired; (Astros, 1-0).
Bottom of Third: Babies batting, Brandon Backe pitching ~
* R Martin lines out to L Berkman in LF (1); * M McCroskey lines one up middle; it caroms off pitcher B Backe’s leg, but it is picked up by SS A Everett in time for a 1-6-3 out at 1st (2); * M Hudec walks; * R Pena loops a single to LF; M Hudec stops at 2nd; * Z Hajduk singles to RF; M Hudec scores from 2nd (Astros 1 – Babies 1); R Pena moves from 1st to 3rd; A Hajduk stops at 1st; * D Jones grounds out to M Lamb at 1st (3); side retired; (Astros 1 – Babies 1).
Top of Fifth: Astros batting, Mike McCroskey pitching ~
* A Everett strikes out (1); * B Backe walks; * W Taveras batting; B Backe steals 2nd; W Taveras grounds out to R Pena on a 6-3 play at 1st (2); B Backe moves to 3rd; * C Biggio batting; B Bscke scores from 3rd on a wild pitch by M McCroskey (Astros 2 – Babies 1); C Biggio grounds out on weak bouncer to 1st baseman D Jones (3); side retired; (Astros 2 – Babies 1).
Bottom of Fifth: Babies batting, Brandon Backe pitching ~
* R Martin retired on a 4-3 ground out to C Biggio (1); * M McCroskey strikes out (2); * M Hudec walks; * R Pena singles to RF; M Hudec moves all the way to 3rd; R Pena holds at 1st; * Z Hajduk grounds hard to 1st baseman M Lamb; M Lamb tries to start a double play, but throws the ball into LF for an E6; M Hudec scores from 3rd (Astros 2 – Babies 2); R Pena moves from 1st to 3rd; Z Hajduk holds at 1st; * D Jones walks to load the bases; T Murrah grounds into a 6-4 force out at 2nd (3); side retired; (Astros 2 – Babies 2).
Top of Sixth: Astros batting, Mike McCroskey pitching ~
* M Ensberg walks; * L Berkman strikes out (1); * J Lane slams a 2-run homer to LF (Astros 4 – Babies 2); * M Lamb doubles to RCF; Babies Manager Bob Dorrill pulls M McCroskey in favor of relief pitcher M Franty; * B Ausmus strikes out; * A Everett flies out to RCF (3); side retired; (Astros 4 – Babies 2).
Bottom of Sixth: Babies batting, Brandon Backe pitching ~
* A Schmelter walks; * B Dorrill drops a Texas League single to RF; A Schmelter stops at 2nd; R Martin retired on a 3-4 sac bunt play (1); A Schmelter moves to 3rd; B Dorrill moves to 2nd; * P Holland enters the game as a pinch hitter for M Franty; W Rodriguez is the new pitcher for the Astros and will bat 6th; W Rodriguez throws wild pitch to P Holland; A Schmelter scores from 3rd (Astros 4 – Babies 3); B Dorrill moves up to 2nd; P Holland lines out to pitcher W Rodriguez (2) * M Hudec singles over C Biggio to RF; B Dorrill scores from 3rd (Astros 4 – Babies 4); * R Pena lines out to RCF (3); side retired; (Astros 4 – Babies 4).
Top of Seventh: Astros batting, Mark Rejmaniak pitching ~
* J Vizcaino safe at 1st against new pitcher M Rejmaniak as a result of an E6 bad throw from R Pena at SS; * W Taveras retired on a 2-3 sac bunt play (1); J Vizcaino moves to 2nd; * C Biggio lashes a down-the-LF-line double that scores J Vizcaino from 2nd (Astros 5 – Babies 4); * M Ensberg retired on a pop fly to M Hudec at 3rd (2); * L Berkman draws intentional walk; Biggio still on 2nd; J Lane grounds into a 6-4 force play (3); side retired; (Astros 5 – Babies 4).
Bottom of Eighth: Babies batting, Brad Lidge pitching ~
* A Schmelter walks; * B Dorrill takes 1st on a HBP; A Schmelter moves to 2nd; * * R Martin also takes 1st on a HBP; bases now loaded; * LJ Miggins pinch hits for M Rejmaniak and hits a long sac fly to deep right field (1); A Schmelter scores from 3rd (Astros 5 – Babies 5); B Dorrill goes from 2nd to 3rd; and R Martin holds at 1st; * M Hudec is brushed back as R Martin is retired 2-4 on a steal attempt (2); M Hudec still battiing with B Dorrill on 3rd and 2 0uts; M Hudec is intentionally walked; B Dorrill still holding at 3rd; Astros Manager P Garner pulls closer B Lidge in favor of D Wheeler; * R Pena laces a hard single to CF, scoring B. Dorrill from 3rd (Babies 6 – Astros 5); the ball gets by W Taveras in CF, allowing M Hudec to score all the way from 1st on the E6 (Babies 7 – Astros 5); Z Hajduk pops out to 2nd baseman C Biggio (3); side retired; (Babies 7 – Astros 5).
Ira Liebman’s Performance in the Top of the 9th Closing Pinch ~
Ira Liebman did his job in the 9th, After striking out Jose Vizcaino and then getting Willie Taveras on a hot 6-3 play by Robert Pena, Ira gave up Biggio’s third double of the night, but it did no harm. He quickly sealed the deal by getting Morgan Ensberg on a hop bouncer back to the mound. Liebman practically walked the ball to first before completing the closing save with a gentle underhanded toss to a smiling Deacon Jones at first base
Tags: 10/18/05, Game 4: Astros @ Babies
The Pecan Park Eagle 
December 3, 2013 at 6:17 pm |
At least Lidge, although he took the loss, can be relieved that Dan Wheeler give up the lead. Plus he did not have to face Pujols 🙂
December 3, 2013 at 7:36 pm |
I was squeezed by the home plate umpire. Had both Backe and Ensberg struck out twice prior to their walking and eventually scoring. Was still upset about the call and grooved one to Lane
after getting by Berkan My bad.
Still say Meghan was safe at first after the carom off Backe’s leg.
By the way, who were those umps? That one cussed me just like Joe West.