Astros Defeat the Express, 6-4, in Round Rock

Spend your life writing about music, frequenting bars and nightclubs, hanging out with musicians and other people who think the sun is only a rumor, and it's easy to forget there's a lot of people out there for whom that lifestyle is something maybe glimpsed on Behind the Music, if at all. Between trips to church and soccer practice, many of them enjoy attending baseball games, and in fact, just more than 10,000 of these upstanding Central Texas citizens (and a few scruffier types from further south down I-35) crowded into the Dell Diamond Thursday night to watch the Houston Astros pay a call on their AAA affiliate, the Round Rock Express. (By the way, the ballpark is hardly the only Double D in Williamson County – they grow 'em big up there.)

The Houston Astros were extremely gracious guests, spotting the home team two runs in the first inning. Lead-off man Josh Anderson singled, advanced to second on an Adam "Stone Hands" Everett error, third on a Brooks Conrad base hit, and scored on a bases-loaded walk by 'Stros starter Jason "TrimSpa" Jennings. Cody Ransom's sac fly to cattle-ranching left fielder Carlos "El Caballo" Lee made it 2-0.

The Astros got a run back in the top of the second on back-to-back doubles by Lee and Express alum Luke "Packing Heat" Scott. Express centerfielder Hunter "the Future" Pence doubled in the bottom half of the frame but was stranded on third.

In the fourth, Lee singled to center and stole second - he's surprisingly fleet of foot for someone who looks like he could pass a WWE audition without breaking a sweat. Scott and Chris "Out of Position" Burke walked. Everett atoned for his earlier error with a two-run double to center, then was picked off second on Brad Ausmus' run-scoring fielder's choice. Jennings singled, Craig "Father Time" Biggio flied out, and Morgan "Silent Spring" Ensberg doubled in two runs to put the good guys up 6-2, a pitch or two after providing the only real drama of the game by almost charging the mound after Express starter Chance Douglass nearly dusted him off with the ol' bean ball.

Astros manager Phil Garner is nothing if not charitable, so he decided to give Round Rock a chance to get back into the game by inserting beleaguered closer Brad "Gasoline" Lidge. Anderson singled, Mike Rodriguez struck out, and Pence confirmed his future skipper's generosity by clubbing a Lidge fastball halfway to Georgetown: 6-4, Houston. Lidge's spring ERA now stands at a whopping 18.00, and somewhere the nefarious Albert Pujols is laughing diabolically.

Fortunately, Trever Miller and Dave Borkowski shut down the Express the rest of the way, only surrendering a lone single to Barry Wesson "Oil" - Borkowski was especially sharp, retiring nine Round Rock batters in a row. Overall the Astros looked pretty good - Jennings settled down after a shaky first, Lee is already paying dividends, and it's nice to see Ensberg remembering how to take the bat off his shoulder - but if Lidge doesn't remember how to get batters out at this weekend's exhibition series against the mighty Kansas City Royals, he will soon be back at the Double D with all the other boobs, only not nearly as fun to watch.