Baseball Rollercoaster

Eightteen innings, 5hours and 50 minutes! Stress and physical and mental drain.A rollercoaster ride for the ages. I have to admit I had a hard time watching the Astros and Braves play this game. As fans, we hoped the Astros could win this game so they would not have to go to Atlanta and face the posibility of being eliminated. As the game rolled on we wondered if our Astros were to lose would they have the strength to go to another game in Atlanta. As it turned out they played what amounts to a double-header with out a break. Watching the game, it felt like a stressful ride on a rollercoaster. Dismayed when LaRoche put the Braves ahead in the 5th, we wrung our hands until the the 8th when Lance Berkman hit a grand slam putting us only one run behind.Then the elation of Brad Ausmus hitting the homer to tie the game. Breathholding and nailbiting were everywhere. Both teams used every available player over the next nine innings. Talk about stress! Having used all the relief pitchers, Phil Garner told starter Roger Clemens to get his cleats on. Roger thought he was kidding. Realizing he was the last resort,Clemens took the mound as a relief pitcher for only the second time in his 20 year career. The first time was in 1984 as a rookie. So after throwing 92 pitches to lose game 2, on three days rest he pitched 3 shutout innings. In the 18th inning Chris Burke hit the game winning home-run. After 18 gut renching innings it was over. At one point it was almost like, "Is anybody going to win? How much longer can we hang on?" Atlanta played great, no doubt about it. But, just as the Astros' season has gone, it's been a rollercoaster ride of a season. All but dead and buried at 15 and 30 early in the season, what a ride to the finish. I just hope they have enough gas in the tank for the rest of the playoffs and maybe the World Series. Never give up! Next stop St Louis. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!