Chuck Tanner NL Baseball

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Houston takes on Chicago at home

Chicago 5 Houston 3

The Chicago Wolves took game one 5-3 on the strength of two two-run homeruns by Jacob Schmidt (1st) and Shannon Brett (10th). Both came off Houston starter Charlie Onis (LP 5-4 7.1IP 9H 5R/5ER 3BB/2SO).

Pedro Escobar went 7.1 innings for Chicago and got the win. Escobar now 5-3 gave up 4 hits 1R/1ER did not walk a batter and struck out 5.

Doug Schooler worked the final 1.2 innings for his 9th save.

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Houston 5 Chicago 4


Houston came back to win game two 5-4. Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Jeff Charboneau homerun, his 10th and the 7th hit off Otten.

Otten, 4-5 with a 5.15 ERA this season, picked up his third straight win. Otten, a 37 year old veteran from St Louis, Missouri, has a .2.15 ERA in 21.1 innings (6 run/5 earned run 16 hits 8 walks and 13 strikeouts) over those three starts.

Chicago added a run in the 2nd inning. Rob Driscoll tripled and scored on pitcher Moe Middleton's weak grounder to thrid base.

Houston finally responded with a run in the bottom of the 2nd. Tom Spooner tripled, George Brashear walked and Jim Shaw grounded to shortstop scoring Spooner. Joe Riley tied the game 2-2 with a ground ball single to center field.

Chicago threatened but did not score in their half of the 3rd inning off Otten. Otten issued three walks in the game handed out two of them in this inning. He walked Ivan Samuel the lead off batter. Brett singled off first baseman George Brashear's glove. Ramon Gallaraga walked to load the bases. Otten got out of the inning by getting Rafael Posada to hit a hot shot to shortstop Jay Riley who fed second baseman Jim Shaw who evaded sliding Galaraga to make a good throw to Brashear at first for a double play.

The Rovers took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the 3rd. Middleton did not survive the third inning. Middleton issued a lead off walk to Dick Moore . Rick Carey tripled putting Houston in fron 3-2. Bob Casian, who went 0 for 4 had his batting average drop below .400 to .390, drove in a run with aground out to third baseman putting Houston ahead 4-2.

Otten wiggled out of another jam in the 4th. Driscoll flied to right. Pitcher Brock Allen singled and Charboneau walked before Samuel flied to right to end the inning.

George Brashear who has added some punch to the lineup since he began playing firsrt base, homered in the 6th (3rd) putting Houston up 5-2.

That run paid off when closer Al Boever gave up two runs (one earned) in the ninth. After Posada grounded out to third baseman Wally Johnson, Boever walked Driscoll. Pinch hitter Damaso Gomez reached on a two base throwing error by Boever. Roberto Millan singled scoring Driscoll. After Boever struck out Charboneau for the second out, Ivan Samuel singled in Gomez. Boever retired Brett on a grounder to Brashear and to end the game.

Final 5 Chicago 4