Posted on 06/22/2005 3:43:45 PM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
Associated Press
Roger Clemens pitched seven strong innings for his 334th win, Morgan Ensberg hit a three-run homer and the Astros completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 6-2 victory today.
Clemens (6-3) allowed two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked two, lowering his major league-leading ERA to 1.51. The Rocket, ninth on the career wins list, has won three straight decisions for the first time this season.
Ensberg hit the go-ahead homer in the third. The Astros scored three more runs in the seventh with the help of some terrible Colorado defense, and John Franco and Russ Springer combined to pitch two scoreless innings for Houston's fifth win in six games.
The Astros got their fourth sweep of the year against the last-place Rockies, who have lost five straight and eight of nine.
Jason Jennings (4-8) allowed six runs and five hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked two.
Clemens got off to a surprisingly rough start against one of the league's worst offenses, allowing the Rockies to load the bases with no outs in the second inning.
J.D. Closser grounded into a double play on the next at-bat, driving in Garrett Atkins from third. Clemens escaped further damage when Jennings flied out to center to end the inning.
Following two quick outs to start the third, Craig Biggio was hit by a pitch and Lance Berkman singled. Ensberg followed with a 404-foot shot to left that bounced hard off the brick wall behind the left-field fence.
Ensberg leads NL third basemen with 17 homers this season, a year after hitting only 10. He didn't hit a home run last year until July 2.
After Ensberg's homer, Jennings retired the next 11 batters but finally fell apart in the seventh.
Chris Burke singled, Brad Ausmus doubled and Jennings intentionally walked pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro to load the bases. Jennings threw a wild pitch that allowed Burke to score from third, and Ausmus scored when Closser threw the ball away into the dugout.
Biggio followed those two gaffes with a run-scoring double to push Houston's lead to 6-2.
Jennings was then replaced by Jay Witasick. Jennings, a 26-year-old Dallas native and former Baylor star, remains winless in three career starts against Houston.
Notes: Houston has won six straight and nine of its last 10 against Colorado. ... Biggio was twice hit by pitches, bumping his career total to 266. He needs to be plunked only once more to break Don Baylor's modern-era mark of 267. ... Colorado dropped to 3-15 at Minute Maid Park, its worst record at any NL park. The Rockies haven't won a series in Houston since April 1995 at the Astrodome.
Another record breaking season for the Lastros.
I guess sportswriters are sportswriters because if they could do math, they'd be doing something else for a living.
If Biggio's career total is 266, if he gets hit one more time, he'll have 267... thereby tying Baylor's record. He needs two more to break it.
I seem to remember Kent Hrbek getting hit a LOT when he was playing. I wonder where he stands on the list.
I remember Ron Hunt getting HBP 50 times in one single season.
Make him take off his armor and then we'll see how much he gets hit. If I were a pitcher and he crowded the plate, like so many do today, I'd bean him. Naw, with the girls rules they have today, the ump can make a judicial decision if HE thinks they're throwing at each other...
Sharpen yer spikes and slide high! It's baseball not marbles!
G
Yep, Don took it like a man! (no armor)
One of Commack High Schools greatest Alums, the other being Bob Costas. My ex-girlfriend is not on that list.
Ping...
I totally agree. Prior to the 90's version of the game, the plate belonged to the pitcher, and the batter entered it at his own risk. Unfortunately, I'm too young to have seen Bob Gibson pitch, but from what I've seen in retrospectives, Gibson owned his plate.
tje only difference is don baylor never flinched
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