I think what grinds my gears about home plate the most is the pause before making a call. You can literally see him flipping a coin in his head before each call
Culberson up, and here comes the pitching coach.
1st and 2nd, two outs for Culberson ball one outside. Swing and a miss on a well located fastball on the outside corner, 1-1. Dots the knees outside cornerish with a breaking ball, 1-2. Outside, 2-2. Way low, 3-2. Fucking Christ Martinez, figure it the fuck out. Missing REALLY badly a lot. Full count pitch Breaker on the inside corner, slapped foul, still full. All sliders so far to Culberson. CALLED STRIKE THREE! What the fuck were you looking for, Charlie? Inner third thigh high fastball got him.
Mid 8, 7-2 Astros
Bottom 8 - Meyers leading off swings at a pitch that almost hit him and grounds to third, just nips him at first for the first out, 5-3.
Machete takes a strike just off the outside corner, 0-1. Swings at a pitch way low, 0-2. Excuse me swing at a 89 MPH fat pitch at the belt, strikeout. 2 outs.
Altuve with nobody on and 2 outs takes low, 1-0. Takes strike 1. Swings at a low breaker and hits a chopper to short, 6-3 out by a step.
Absolutely garbage inning from the offense.
Top 9, 7-2 Astros
Martinez made them use Montero in a 5 run game.
Strike 4
Duran leads off the 9th with Montero on the mound. Swings at a pitch WAY up and in, strike 1. Dots the bottom of the zone, 0-2. Dots… what the fuck? Junior just called a pitche that was 3 inches closer to the outside corner than half his strikes a ball. No matter, Montero dots the top outside corner for a swing and a miss. 1 out.
He’s a fan of Harvey Dent.
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Theirs for the unnecessary drama Kyle/Yuli
Thompson takes strike one on the outer 3rd. Fouls off strike 2. Way outside, 1-2. Outside again, 2-2.fouls back in inside fastball, I bet that got his hands buzzing. Low, ball 3. Popped down the 1st base line in foul territory, Tucker closing in and call it, Yuli overrides him and makes the catch with Tucker essentially in his back pocket. 2 outs.
Semien up, nobody on 2 outs first pitch plopped in to the 2nd row of the Crawford Boxes on an inner 3rd fastball.
7-3 Astros
Ponche!
Seager takes a ball just off the outside corner. Fucking Junior has closed the outside part of the plate for business. FUCK, same fucking thing again, just off the plate, been a strike all night. 2-0. In the zone outer 3rd, 2-1. On the outer black at the knees, 2-2. At the knees CALLED STRIKE THREE! PONCHE TO END IT!
Astros win, 7-3 FINAL!
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Hell of a game from the Framchise.
Good to see the offense produce.
FTR.
Good pbp, Mark. Thank you.
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Yep, but I am disappointed in and ticked at Martinez. No reason to have to use one of our high leverage guys in a game like that. He had an opportunity to get six outs and could not.
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He had a great start but has faded badly. Is it the league catching up to him? Anyway I guess he’s headed down and will be back in September.
I definitely do not think he has “faded badly.” He has been consistently good, imo. He was not good today, though.