Current inning

I'm actually writing this about 12 hours before game time, but I figure get it done now and sleep as long as I can before I come into work.

Yes, that's right y'all, I am finishing up the night shift of this fantastically thrilling late-season stumble by the Astros. Sure, the Cubs have been, um, less than stellar this year, but it is good to see the (cough) defending NL champs lay an egg or two in their home park. It just would have been nice if they could have laid their second egg in about half the number of innings.

As I troll the Tribune photo wires for of the marathon battle, I find comfort in the fact that Allison Payne looks just as tired as I feel while informing me that the 9 o'clock news (ha!) is coming up. I'm sure I actually look much worse, since she has makeup people and I'm—how to put this—not very nice to look at. I'm also sure that I'm one of about 15-20 people actually watching her.

I would tell you all about who's starting for the Cubs in the series finale, but since Rich Hill got the 'W' about 20 minutes ago, it sure ain't him. You'll just have to wait 'til game time when I get into work. As for the 'Stros, it's lefty Andy Pettitte (11-12, 4.86), of whom some of you may have heard. Lineups will also wait until I get in around game time. Meanwhile, talk to each other or me on the board on the right, drop me an email at rstrohl@tribune.com, or just show up to 435 N. Michigan Ave. and ask for Rahula. Adam will buzz you down.

Okay, I'm back in my desk a scant 10 hours after I left the office last night. I am now armed with information that wasn't available to me then, namely that , ol' man O'Malley's kid, will be taking the bump for the Cubs today. I have a feeling he's going to go deep into the game, if for no other reason than he doesn't seem like a huge Cubs prospect (a 26-year-old lefty who's 7-7 with a 4.08 ERA for Iowa) and the bullpen has to be wiped.

Okay, Len and Bob recapped last night in about a minute and we should be ready to go soon. Lineups as promised.

FIRST INNING

Mick, whatever happens, for Jordan's sake let it not be what happened yesterday. Not sure what Brad Ausmus did to Phil Garner, but ol' Phil is making Ausmus catch today after he caught all 18 yesterday. Pierre dumps a single in front of Willy Taveras in center, and Ryan Theriot sacrifices him to second, not the only way in which Theriot has been sacrificial in the past day. Pickoff throw dribbles into center field and Pierre takes third. Infield comes in because you don't want to fall behind 1-0 in the first against a mediocre rookie pitcher. Barrett walks. Ramirez takes one right under his armpit and takes a mere five minutes to get down to first. Bases chucked for Phil Nevin. And to Wow! on the message board, I agree, Jones' dinger was ridiculous. Dead center in that ballpark is no joke. Nevin whiffs. Pagan does the same and the Cubs, as is their wont, fail to score a runner from third with fewer than two out.

Cubs 0, Astros comin' up

Ryan O'Malley's first big-league pitch is a strike, as are his second and third, as Taveras drops behind 0-2 and fouls a pitch off. Just think, I can say I was there from the beginning. Taveras pops up into very shallow center and Theriot makes O'Malley's career perfect through 1/3. There goes the perfect career as Chris Burke singles. As they play that migraine-inducing buzzing noise for both Burke and Berkman, I am reminded of the reason I will take it easy on Len Kasper today. Last night, when the innings were somewhere in the mid-teens, they were still playing that buzzing noise for every "B"-named player. Berkman walks and Luke Scott pops out foul to Ramirez. Anyway, just as I was thinking "Please make the noise stop," Lenny chimes in: "I dunno Bob, it may just be me, but I think there should be a curfew on that buzzing noise." A-freakin'-men, Lenny. And as I type this story, he starts raggin' on a guy in the stands with a bluetooth in his ear reading the business section. I may come around on him, yet. Ensberg flies out to center to end it.

Scoreless

SECOND INNING

Red Menace grounds out to third. I'm glad he ended the game last night, but he was the reason they went to extras in the first place. Perez grounds to short. Does this mean O'Malley will ground to second? No. He strikes out on three pitches.

Nada

Just Wondering, I'm going to set the over/under at an unusually high 5 innings for O'Malley's start. I honestly think that between how poor the Astros offense is to begin with, how wrecked they all must be after last night and how tired Dusty's pen must be, he's gonna let the kid (ha, dude's my age) go a while. He makes quick work of Jason Lane, who lines out to Pierre. He then walks Adam Everett. I'm no looker myself, but Adam Everett always seems to have a goofy expression on his face. Ausmus lines out to Neifi. Pettitte, who I think has too many t's in his name, grounds to The Riot to end it.

Love-Love

THIRD INNING

Yes, Adam Everett, I do think you kinda look like the Keebler Elf. Pierre doubles down the left-field line. The Riot continues to give himself up so the Cubs can strand a runner in scoring position yet again. Barrett grounds hard to third, Ensberg tries to tag a diving Pierre, then gets Barrett at first. And thank you Marla Collins. May Harry always see you without your shorts on. Pettitte blows a high fastball by Ramirez and those last 90 feet may as well be 90 miles.

Nil-nil