This might be the best start of his young career, and it’s coming against a pretty good lineup. Even when he gets himself into minor trouble, as he did in the fifth by giving up a leadoff single to Eric Munson and then walking Eric Bruntlett, he manages to get out of it. Morgan Ensberg lined out to left, Russ Martin picked Bruntlett off first (on a bad call by Gery Davis that went the Dodgers’ way, offsetting another bad call by Davis in the first inning when Juan Pierre clearly beat out a bunt but was called out), and Craig Biggio whiffed. Martin just doubled down the leftfield line, ending his 3 for 26 slide, then scored when Kent doubled off the wall in right-center. Dodgers 5, Astros 0, top 7
