A Fan’s Note

In case you didn’t know – and judging by the ratings, you don’t – the baseball season isn’t over just yet.

The playoffs are still going strong with only the NLCS left to determine who will face the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.

The Houston Astros currently lead the series 3-2 but failed to close it in Game 5, a great game with a great ending, unless you are an Astros fan.

The ninth inning started with Houston leading the Cardinals 4-2.

The first two batters the Cardinals sent to the plate were retired, and the fans in Houston came to their feet. Their team was just one out away from ending the NLCS.

Then the Cardinals’ David Eckstein hit a single to left, and the Astros closer Brad Lidge walked Jim Edmonds.

Two on, two out.

Up to the plate stepped Albert Pujols, considered by many to be the best hitters in all of baseball.

Not the guy you want to hang slider to, which is exactly what Lidge did.

The ball landed 419 feet away in left field to send the NLCS back to St. Louis for Game 6.

The Astros had lined the dugout, waiting for the final out that would send their team to the World Series for the first time.

They looked shocked as Pujols casually rounded first. Just a walk in the park.

Astros pitcher Andy Pettitte was caught by the camera mouthing the words, “Oh, my God.”

That pretty much summed it up.

The Astros’ staff had to race back to the locker room, remove the plastic covering the lockers and hide the champagne before the players returned from the field to pack their bags.

Lidge was waiting for reporters in the locker room. He accepted responsibility for the bad pitch and said that it would not affect his next performance.

They say to be a closer you have to have a short memory, something that Lidge apparently has.

The only question that remains to be answered is: Do the rest of the Astros have a short memory?

By the time this column is printed, the NLCS will be decided, and the World Series will be set.

If Houston can get past his loss, they’ll make the trip to Chicago.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 21 2005. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry