If you know the Astros, you know fully well that they are a second half team. They know something no other team knows about the second half. Every since the season they started 15-30, they have always had a second half run. This season they are positioned quite well 3 games behind the first place St. Louis Cardinals.

Wandy Rodriguez shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game back from the break. He allowed 5 hits and 2 walks. His curveball was unhittable last night. It didn’t look like it could be better until you could see the breaking ball from Alberto Arias. There was an at-bat where Arias faced Juan Pierre. He threw 4 straight curveballs for strikes that could buckle anyone’s’ knees. This was a great game to dominate because all major sports outlets were covering the game because is was Manny Ramirez’s first home game. For years they didn’t understand why San Francisco fans still loved Barry Bonds. Well, they now can have commonalities with their fellow California rival.

Roy Oswalt goes against Chad Billingsley tonight which should be a very entertaining game if you are a fan of pitching duels that last 2 hours.