News
Astros' offense absent as skid hits seven
Paulino done in by early long balls in loss to Brewers
By Vic Feuerherd / Special to MLB.com
09/20/09 6:35 PM ET
MILWAUKEE -- This time the Houston Astros couldn't say they were in the game almost to the end before some sort of weird twist cost them. This time they were behind right from the start.Astros starter Felipe Paulino gave up two first-inning home runs and three altogether as the Brewers went on to a 6-0 victory Sunday and a sweep of the three-game series.
The Astros will have to wait to see if some home cooking can end the losing streak that grew to seven games. The problem is that the end of the losing streak will have to come against the St. Louis Cardinals, who lead the National League Central and are threatening to clinch the division title with a victory at Minute Maid Park.
"There's nothing we can do about that except not let them do it," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "We have to go out and play hard.''
Cooper was at a loss for words to describe the latest Astros loss. He shook his head as he discussed how Paulino could be so shaky at the start and then hold the Brewers to one run over his final five innings.
"He has to come out of the bullpen and be good from the start," Cooper said. "He didn't locate well early. After that, he threw very good."
Paulino (2-10) gave up a two-run shot to Corey Hart in the first inning when Hart jumped on the first pitch following a leadoff single by Craig Counsel. Two batters later, Prince Fielder made it 3-0 with a solo home run.
"They jumped me early in the count," Paulino said of Hart's home run. "After that, I made an adjustment."
But these days, Paulino can ill afford to fall behind early let alone give up any runs if he's thinking about winning. His past four starts have covered 23 innings. The Astros did not score a run over that span.
"I just try to keep my head up and do something good," Paulino said. "Someday it is going to change for me."
This was not going to be that day, however, not with the way Brewers starter Yovanni Gallardo threw in his final five innings of the season. Milwaukee announced earlier this week that this would be Gallardo's final start of the season. He struck out seven and yielded just three hits to improve his record to 13-12. He was 3-2 against the Astros this season.
"It was real good [to score early], because [Gallardo] settled in nice," Fielder said. "It's always good to give your pitcher a little cushion, so he can relax out there."
Paulino and the other Astros pitchers haven't had that benefit often. This marked the 12th time this season the Astros were shut out, second to only Pittsburgh in the National League. The Pirates were shut out Sunday against San Diego, the 15th time this season they didn't score.
The Astros scored just four runs in the series against the Brewers, whose staff earned run average of 4.75 is better than only Washington's in the NL. The Astros are averaging just a shade over two runs per game during the losing streak.
"Gallardo had a good fastball, but we're just not swinging the bats very well," Cooper said. "Four runs in three days, that says it right there."
Houston advanced just one runner to third, but how Carlos Lee got there in the second inning speaks more to how much the Astros are struggling. Lee led off with a double. Following a walk to Hunter Pence, he then reached third when Miguel Tejada stalled any hopes of a rally by grounding into a double play.
Relievers Carlos Villanueva, Chris Smith and Mike Burns covered for Gallardo over the final four innings, holding the Astros to two singles.
"I just don't have a lot to say," Cooper said. "I don't know what to tell you."
Vic Feuerherd is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
