The Astros and Braves kicked off their Division Series in Atlanta yesterday with Houston starter LHP Andy Pettitte facing off against the Braves' RHP Tim Hudson. Leading off the game, 2B-R Craig Biggio blooped a line drive into center for a single. CF-R Willy Taveras then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Biggio to second. After Hudson issued 1B-S Lance Berkman a four-pitch walk, 3B-R Morgan Ensberg smacked a line drive into centerfield for a single that moved Berkman to second and drove in Biggio to put the Astros on the board at 1-0. RF-R Jason Lane then ended the top of the inning by grounding into a double play.

With two down in the bottom of the first, 3B-S Chipper Jones catapulted a pitch over the fence and into the right field stands to tie the game at 1. Andruw Jones closed out the inning by flying out to right.

Following a lead off walk by LF-L Orlando Palmeiro, LF-R Brian Jordan leapt up at the wall in left-center to rob SS-R Adam Everett of a home run. Up next, C-R Brad Ausmus grounded into an inning ending double play. Pettitte did not allow Atlanta to reach base in the bottom of the second.

One out into the top of the third, Biggio knocked a line drive into left-center for a double. Hudson then walked both Taveras and Berkman, loading the bases. Ensberg banged a grounder into left field for a single that moved Berkman to second and drove in Biggio and Taveras to put Houston up 3-1. Lane hit a grounder to third. Attempting another double play, Jones threw to second to retire Ensberg, but 2B-R Marcus Giles was unable to relay the ball to first, so Palmeiro came to the plate with runners at first and third. Coming inside, Hudson caught Palmeiro on the upper right arm, reloading the bases. However, Everett grounded out, stranding the runners. Pettitte pitched another one-two-three inning in the bottom of the third.

Leading off the top of the fourth, Ausmus sent a flyball to deep center for a double. Pettitte followed with a sacrifice bunt, moving Ausmus to third. When Biggio hit a flyball to CF-R Andruw Jones in center, Ausmus tagged up and came home, increasing the Astros lead to 4-1. Taveras finished off the top of the inning with a ground out.

Giles launched a flyball into left-center and then hustled around to second for a double to lead off the bottom of the fourth. One out later, Andruw Jones blasted a pitch over the wall in straightaway centerfield, narrowing Houston's advantage to 4-3. 1B-R Julio Franco then negotiated an eight-pitch walk. RF-R Jeff Francoeur pushed a bunt down the third base line, reaching first and moving Franco to second while Ensberg waited in vain for the ball to roll foul. However, Jordan grounded into a double play to halt the rally.

Neither Hudson nor Pettitte allowed the opposition on base in the fifth, and Hudson also pitched a one-two-three inning in the top of the sixth. Two outs into the bottom of the sixth, Andruw Jones battled Pettitte for an eight-pitch walk, but Pettitte struck out Franco to finish the inning before Atlanta could make use of the baserunner.

Leading off the top of the seventh, Pettitte sent the ball soaring into left-center, where it hit the warning track and bounced into the stands for an automatic double. Biggio laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Pettitte to third. After Taveras grounded out, the Braves intentionally walked Berkman. Ensberg hit another groundball single into left, driving in Pettitte and moving Berkman to second. With the score now 5-3, Atlanta brought in RHP Joey Devine to relieve Hudson. Devine's second pitch hit Lane's right elbow, loading the bases. However, Palmeiro flew out to right, neutralizing the threat. In the bottom of the seventh, Pettitte rolled over the Braves sixth, seventh, and eighth hitters to send the game into the eighth.

RHP Chris Reitsma took the ball for Atlanta in the top of the eighth, and Everett bumped a line drive into right-center for a leadoff single. Ausmus followed, hitting a soft groundball to shallow right. Giles nicely hustled over to field the ball, but his throw was not in time to beat Ausmus to first. Everett advanced to second on the single. After Pettitte laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third, the Braves intentionally walked Biggio. Pinch-hitting for Taveras, right-handed hitter Jeff Bagwell knocked a line drive into left field for a single that drove in Everett. Atlanta then pulled Reitsma, replacing him with LHP John Foster. Foster struck out Berkman, but Ensberg negotiated a seven-pitch walk to push another run across the plate, so that the Astros led 7-3. With Lane at the plate, Foster bounced a pitch in the dirt and it bounded away from C-S Johnny Estrada, allowing Biggio to come home and the other runners to advance a base each on the wild pitch. With first now open, the Braves intentionally walked Lane to bring up Palmeiro. Palmeiro thumped a line drive into left field for a single, driving in both Bagwell and Ensberg to put Houston on top 10-3. At that point, Atlanta sent RHP Jim Brower to relieve Foster. Brower issued Everett a five-pitch walk once again loading the bases, but he then struck out Ausmus to end the top of the inning.

RHP Dan Wheeler the mound for the Astros in the bottom of the eighth. One out into the inning, SS-S Rafael Furcal floated a line drive into left field for a single. Wheeler then came too far inside on Giles and caught his hands. Up next, Chipper Jones swatted a flyball off the wall in center for a double that drove in Furcal and moved Giles to third. However, the Braves were only able to narrow Houston's lead to 10-4, as Wheeler retired the Braves' next two hitters to send the game into the ninth.

In the top of the ninth, the Astros failed to reach base against LHP Macay McBride, who relieved Brower. RHP Russ Springer took over from Wheeler prior to the bottom of the ninth, and Francoeur led off with a triple on a line drive hit deep into right field. Pinch-hitting for Jordan, left-handed hitter Ryan Langerhans struck out, but Estrada drove in Francoeur with a line drive single to right. Left-handed hitter Kelly Johnson was set to pinch-hit for McBride, but when Houston called for LHP Mike Gallo to relieve Springer, Atlanta pulled Johnson and sent switch-hitter Wilson Betemit to the plate. Betemit hit a grounder up the third base line to Ensberg. Ensberg's throw to first went high and wide of Berkman, allowing Estrada to advance to third on the error, though Betemit received credit for a single. The game then came to a close as Furcal grounded into a double play. Following their 10-5 victory, Houston now leads this Division Series 1-0.

Boston moved quickly against White Sox starter LHP Mark Buehrle in Game 2 of their Division Series. CF-L Johnny Damon led off the game with a groundball single into left field and moved to third when SS-R Edgar Renteria sent a line drive into left for a double. Buehrle struck out DH-L David Ortiz, but LF-R Manny Ramirez belted a flyball to the warning track in left field for a single that drove in both Damon and Renteria, giving the Red Sox and early 2-0 lead. C-S Jason Varitek hit a grounder to third, where 3B-R Joe Crede chose to throw to second to retire Ramirez. RF-L Trot Nixon ended the top of the inning with a groundout.

LHP David Wells did not allow Chicago to reach base in the bottom of the first, and Buehrle followed suit against Boston in the top of the second. One out into the bottom of the second, DH-S Carl Everett hit a line drive into left-center for a single. However, CF-R Aaron Rowand then grounded into a double play to send the game into the third.

Leading off the top of the third, Damon dropped a line drive into shallow left field for a single. One out later, David Ortiz whacked a line drive into deep left field for a double, advancing Damon to third. The White Sox then intentionally walked Ramirez to bring up Varitek. Varitek singled on a line drive hit into right field, driving in Damon. With the bases still loaded, Nixon hit a grounder to first. 1B-R Paul Konerko chose to throw to second to retire Varitek while Ortiz went home, Ramirez moved to third, and Nixon arrived safely at first. Although Buehrle struck out Bill Mueller before Boston could increase the damage, the Red Sox took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the third, where Wells once again kept Chicago off the bases.

Boston did not reach base against Buehrle in the top of the fourth. One out into the bottom of the fourth, 2B-R Tadahito Iguchi hit a grounder down the third base line for an infield single, but that constituted the extent of the White Sox's offense in the inning.

After Buehrle retired the Red Sox's two, three, and four hitters in order in the top of the fifth, Everett led off the bottom of the fifth with a groundball single into right field. Rowand followed, banging a flyball into the left field corner for a double that drove in Everett. Rowand then advanced to third when C-L A.J. Pierzynski grounded out. Bouncing a pitch up the middle for a single, Crede drove in Rowand, narrowing Boston's lead to 4-2. Up next, SS-R Juan Uribe hit a soft grounder straight to 2B-R Tony Graffanino, who allowed the ball to roll between his legs and into right-centerfield, so Uribe arrived safely at first and Crede advanced to third. After Podsednik spent out two popping out in foul territory near third, Iguchi soared a pitch into the centermost edge of Chicago's bullpen in left field, putting the White Sox on top 5-4. Wells then struck out RF-R Jermaine Dye to end the inning.

A few singles and a walk peppered the next three innings, but neither team allowed the other to advance past first base. RHP Jon Papelbon took over from Wells two outs into the bottom of the seventh, and Chicago closer RHP Bobby Jenks relieved Buehrle prior to the top of the eighth. One out into the top of the ninth, Graffanino took a stab at redemption, spanking a flyball into left-center for a double. However, Jenks effectively suppressed Boston's next two hitters, stranding Graffanino at second and securing the win for the White Sox. Chicago now leads this Division Series 2-0.

Unfortunately, we were unable to observe Game 2 of the Division Series between the Angels and the Yankees. Anaheim matched RHP John Lackey against New York starter RHP Chien-Ming Wang, and the Angels came out on top 5-3, so the series is now tied at a game apiece.