Long day, worse night

We spent the day catching up on some much-needed yard work. After about 11 hours outside, we came in to watch the end of the Phillies game - they lost again to the Astros. Brett Myers is still struggling, and the ninth-inning rally (against Doug Brocail, not Jose Valverde, who got a night off because of his sore face) ended because Shane Victorino flew out to left swinging at a 2-0 pitch and Pedro Feliz was doubled off trying to tag and score the tying run.

Out on the West Coast, the Red Sox (who didn't come back to win last night, or is that this morning?) are losing again, 1-0 to the A's. Josh Beckett is pitching well, but Justin Duchscherer is trying to match Jon Lester's no-no.

Man down

I thought Jose Valverde was going to die.

He took a liner to the head (well, it ricocheted off his chest) hit by Pedro Feliz. He was down for quite some time, but somehow shook it off to stay in the game.

The Phillies scored a couple off the rattled closer, but couldn't tie the game. Astros 4, Phillies 3. Adam Eaton pitched decently (7 innings, 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts) - his best start since the first of the season.

The Red Sox, playing way past my bedtime in Oakland, trail 8-2 in the sixth.

Hopefully Valverde wakes up tomorrow with nothing more than a killer headache, which will go away with two days off the Phillies give him by winning the next two.

[Photo credit: Houston Chronicle]