Revolution Number Nine...Number Nine...Number Nine...
For some abstract reason, that infamous Beatles song reminds me of Astros outfielder Hunter Pence, who wears jersey number nine.
Pence used his second career grandslam--an opposite field line drive--to propel the Astros past the Chicago Cubs 4-2 in the second game of their series. Houston, which had been near the bottom of the cellar earlier in the season, is now 26-21 on the season and in second place. The Cubs, who this year will celebrate their dubious 100th year anniversary since their last World Series victory, are still in first place.
Pence had been struggling earlier this season but has hit .356 in the month of May. His current batting average is a respectable .293. In the game, he went 3 for 4.
Lance Berkman, meanwhile, is hitting .388 with 16 homeruns and 44 RBIs and is trying to do what hasn't been done since Boston Red Sox slugger Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1967--win the Triple Crown. No National League player has won the Triple Crown in the past 70 years, when St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Joe Medwick hit 31 home runs and drove in 154 runs for a .374 batting average back in 1937. To give a perspective on this, my 71 year-old Dad was a year old when Medwick did this. And when Yaz got his triple crown, my 41 year-old sister was a nine month-old.
Keywords: Astros, Cardinals, Carl Yastrzemski, Hunter Pence, Joe Medwick, Lance Berkman, Red Sox, Triple Crown
