Link Tough loss will test Astros' resilience 10/18/2005 1:30 AM ET By Jim Molony HOUSTON -- The champagne was on ice. The sellout crowd of 43,470 was on its feet. Brad Lidge was one strike away from putting the Houston Astros in the World Series for the first time in the 44-year history of the franchise. Minute Maid Park was ready to erupt. And then the cheers quickly turned to shocked silence. With two outs in the ninth inning, Lidge couldn't get the final strike on David Eckstein after going ahead, 1-2, on the St. Louis shortstop. Eckstein singled and after a walk to Jim Edmonds, the Astros closer surrendered a towering three-run homer to Albert Pujols to lift the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory that sends the National League Championship Series back to St. Louis with the Astros holding a 3-2 series lead. The question of the NLCS now is whether the Astros, one of the more resilient teams in baseball, have enough spring to bounce back from such a crushing defeat. They don't come much tougher than this one. This heartbreaking setback means the Astros must go back to Busch Stadium and win one of two possible games there if they are going to fly their first NL pennant. "We would have loved to have gotten it done tonight for sure, but we didn't," Astros starter Andy Pettitte said. "It's a tough one, and we've got to bounce back. You go home, you get to bed, you wake up tomorrow and put it behind you. This is not the end -- it's a tough loss, but it's not over." Though obviously very disappointed with the turn of events, the Astros were well composed following the loss and in much better spirits than you might expect. Coming back from a 15-30 start to make the playoffs is one indicator of this team's character. The Astros are no strangers to disappointing defeats and chose to look at this one as just another unfortunate bump in what has been a relatively rocky road for them. They've gotten up after getting knocked down too many times to stay down now. Forget about possible shell shock -- the Astros even marveled at what a great game this one was. Despite their disappointment, the Astros were not so lost in their predicament to not appreciate what they had just witnessed. "This is why this game is so great, this is why we all play it and this is why we all love it," Astros outfielder Jason Lane said. "This was two great teams slugging back and forth." Added catcher Brad Ausmus: "It just wasn't meant to be. It was actually a great baseball game to sit and watch. Unfortunately for us, we wound up losing." It was truly one for the ages, with tension on every pitch and an emotional grind for all. There was the euphoria for the Astros over Lance Berkman's opposite-field three-run homer in the seventh inning off Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter that gave Houston the lead followed minutes later by the disappointment over the Cardinals, one pitch away from elimination, rallying with one of the more incredible comebacks in playoff history against one of the best closers in the game. "The fans certainly got their money's worth," Astros second baseman Craig Biggio said. We are reminded of former Cincinnati Red Pete Rose, expressing similar thoughts after his team had lost to Boston in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series on Carlton Fisk's home run. After that disappointing defeat, the Reds came back and won Game 7 and the series. The Astros still control their destiny. Though undoubtedly the long-suffering Houston fans may have let that fact slip their minds in the wake of Pujols' rocket over the railroad tracks in left, the Astros would like to remind everyone that they still lead the series and need just one more victory to wrap it up. "We don't think we're down, we've had tough losses all year and we've bounced back," Lane said. "This team has a lot of character." Even Lidge, who finally blew a save against the Cardinals in three years of opportunities, was candid and surprisingly upbeat. "It was a mistake on a slider. I left it up in the zone and he squared it," Lidge said. "I wish I could take it back, but I can't. I'm upset about it now, but tomorrow it'll be gone. This will sting a little bit, but when I wake up tomorrow it will be gone. If I couldn't do that, I wouldn't be a closer." Lidge also echoed his teammates' sentiments in that he doesn't give any credence to the idea that this was a momentum-turner in the series. "This is a resilient team," Lidge said. "We've been through a lot this year, but we've always pulled together and bounced back. We'll bounce back from this." The Astros have done things the hard way all year. We shouldn't be surprised when they do the same now. "I'm not exactly shocked, because that's how we've been playing this year," third baseman Morgan Ensberg said. "This isn't the end of the season. If it would have been the end of the season, it would hurt more -- but again, we are up in this series." Which must now, because of one pitch, head back to St. Louis.
You have to or your finished. Even though I was mad as hell, I had to keep reminding myself it was game seven, only game five. If they are a world series calibar team, then the Astros win one of the next two. Personally I'd like the team to take on Oswalt's personality for game six and come out and beat the crap out of the Cardinals in game six. Start the demolition of Busch stadium early.
I guess for me, I just wanted them to finish quick b/c I wanted us to get some time to set up our rotation for the White Sox. Of course you have to get their first. I guess its only fitting that we do it in St. Louis b/c the Astros NEVER do things the easy way. I still believe!!!
That article pumped me up. Maybe the Astros will break through like the Jazz did in 1997. Remember when they could never get to the NBA Finals after many appearances in the West Finals, and then Eddie Johnson hit the buzzer beater to break the Jazz hearts, bringing back to Jazz fans the "here we go again, we'll never overcome a shot like this." only to see the Jazz finally show their resiliency and take the series. I never thought I'd compare the Astros to the Jazz, but the NLCS is the equivalent to the Conference Finals in the NBA. Hopefully the Astros will suck it up and breakthrough.
The Astros aren't in trouble, sure we are all a little heartbroken but it wasn't like it was game 7 and we were 1 strike from the World Series and our season was over. We have two more games to fight and we are still in the drivers seat for one more game, and have a chance in two.
Fight until the very end. I like the attitude in the clubhouse. That game is over...now get down to business and get it done. The test of ultimate will. Only the good guys will prevail. Let's hope that is us.
Good quotes, especially by Lidge. Maybe this will snap him out of his crummy pitching over the last few games.
This is what I've been telling myself today, too. After we won Game 4, we weren't saying, "Thank God now we can win the do-or-die Game 5", we were saying, "We're up 3 - 1 and have three chances with the top of our rotation." So we blew the first chance and we have two remaining. Granted, we lost the game in devastating fashion. We'll know early on tomorrow night whether or not the guys have shaken this one off or not.
Guys, I hear you. I want to believe they can do it. I've spent about every waking moment the last 36 or so hours thinking how they can do it, but I just don't see it. Not the way those guys looked after Poop-holes' blast. With everything I have, I want to believe they can do it, I just don't know. I'm working up the courage to watch, just don't know if my heart can take it. That game 5 was the worst moment in my Houston game-watching career. That one obliterated Game 6 in 86, destroyed the 35-3 Bills miracle and erased every awful memory of the 4 and 10 Elway pass to V. Johnson. I truly felt, believed, was certain we had it won. I was feeling all the joy of finally getting there, and then it was pulled out. I called both my brothers and we were all juiced. But finally, today, I'm starting to hope, believe again. Here's to Roy O - may you bring us a pennant and a shot at it all.
If there is anyone that wasn't effected by the Game 5 curse, it was Roy Oswalt. I don't think there is a tougher competitor and more abrasive person on the Astros roster then Roy... I think he even has more guts and guile then Roger, so that is saying a lot. It doesn't matter who is standing in that batters box, he isn't afraid to brush them back or nail them in the hip if he has to. He isn't shaken when two or three men get on and no one out, he is tough as nails. There is NO ONE in the league that I would rather having start for me on a game like tonights... no one. I love this team because they are like a huge family, who have FUN and don't take the game too seriously. Sure they know they were 1 strike away from the promise land, but they know they have two more goes at it. Sure they know that if they blow it they will go down as one of the biggest choke jobs in all of major sports... but they won't go down because they refuse to let the pressure of the situation get to them. Say what you want about Phil Garner, but the one thing he brought to this team was excitement about playing this beautiful game we call baseball.
If Lance would have never hit that HR and we would have ended up losing 2-1 it would not bother me as much . I was thinking that was what was gonna happen . In my mind I was thinking that hell its alright we can just go take one of the games in St Louis . After we lost the way we did it just made me think of the games in a whole different way . I just have a gut feeling that things arent gonna go our way .
A win tonight, and our rotation is still in fine shape. Our top three are interchangable. After Roy dominates tonight, we will have Sat, Clemens on 6 days rest Sun, Pettitte on 5 days rest Tues, Oswalt on 5 days rest. Nothing wrong with that rotation.
Actually, Pettitte would probably start off game 1 unless Roger asks for the ball. Pitchers only need 4 days rest (pitch every 5th day) and I imagine with Roger's hammy and lower back problems he could use the extra day of rest.
22 - Pettitte (4 days) 23 - Clemens (6 days) 25 - Oswalt (5 days) 26 - Backe (8 days) 27 - Pettitte (4 days) 29 - Clemens (5 days) 30 - Oswalt (4 days)
This, or a four-pitch walk, is the *only* viable and sane option for Albert Pujols with men on base, regardless of the size of the lead. And for good measure, the Astros should bean him twice next season just for staring at his dingers. Put your HGH-swollen head down and run your ass around the bases, Albert. Showboating is for pro wrestlers and basketball players (sorry clutchfans).
You know what would be the funniest and most just piece of redemption for the Astros and fans... Pujols hits a long shot and breaks out into the stare and trot, only for the ball to get caught on the warning track. Astros go on to win with Lidge in for the save, striking out Pujols for vindication.
