Pathetic

Astros 8, Dodgers 1

On a night that fireworks graced the post-game sky, the Astros were busy supplying Dodger Stadium with their own brand of amazement and wonder. Chad Billingsley didn't fool anyone, and the Dodger offense, for the second game in a row, was only fooling themselves.

When asked about Chad Billingsley, Torre could only shrug.

"He got the first two outs in five pitches then the roof came down. Right now it doesn't look like he's as sure of himself as he was, will be, and all that stuff. It's going to happen time to time. I'm not concerned about him. We have to turn the page on this."

Bills struggled so mightily than he couldn't even get out of the second inning, being chased after surrendering six runs. Of the pitches that weren't blasted into the gaps, the rest were low and in the dirt. In fact, Russell Martin spent so much time blocking balls in the dirt he could have planted a garden around home plate. The Dodger outfield ran so many miles that jogging exercises tomorrow have been canceled, citing a lack of need.

"We don't have many of these games, we are pretty good. Doesn't mean you don't care or don't want to do it," Torre stated after the game.

"You give Oswalt four in the first it's not really good for your ego. We've had very few of these where a ball club just manhandles us."

The Astros certainly did their share of manhandling the pitching staff. Chad Billingsley was lifted for Jeff Weaver, then Weaver for Scott Elbert, then Elbert for Claudio Vargas; nevertheless, the Astros hit parade continued. Scoring from the press box the Astros scoresheet more resembled a geometry test than a baseball game. When the dust finally settled Dodger pitchers allowed 8 runs, on 16 hits, in their lopsided defeat. Things need to get better in a hurry if the Dodgers have any chance of keeping their streak alive of not losing three consecutive games all season.

"That's our job if we're going to be a first place team," Torre lamented after the game.

"We're going to have to shrug off this stuff. Obviously the break is the break, we were playing really well, right now we are not scoring runs, and tonight we didn't get good pitching."

The Dodgers might have the best record in baseball, and still might be the best team across the board; however, you wouldn't know it from watching tonight.

AP Photo/Jae C. Hong