:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/6838565/20120507_ajw_ac6_076.jpg)
Starting pitching has been going strong during this road trip, and tonight was no exception at Minute Maid Park. Carlos Zambrano allowed only three hits in a complete-game 4-0 shutout over the Astros while receiving his first win of the season.
Attendance:
Announced attendance: 16,531
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 8, 2012
Source: FanGraphs
Hero of the Night: Carlos Zambrano. His stats were fantastic tonight, and so was his WPA with a staggering .452.
Goat of the Night: Omar Infante went 0-for-4 on the night giving him a -.069 in the 4-0 win.
Play of the Night: It's to no one's surprise that Giancarlo Stanton's laser beam homerun in the fourth was the highest in WPA (.215).
Mark it as seven in a row for the Fish, and the first for one Carlos Zambrano.
The last time Zambrano felt this good was way back in the 2009 season, where he last found himself with a complete game shutout. Despite critics saying it's only the Astros that Big Z dominated tonight, he'll take any win he can. Even if it's his first of the year.
He's back on his high horse, and he's a different man and teammate now than when he was roaming the Friendly Confines. A different change of scenery can do that to a player, and for Zambrano, getting away from northeast Illinois was the best thing for Zambrano.
Zambrano did go all the way a couple days after Mark Buerhle did the same feat in awhile as well. On the night, Zambrano allowed three hits, nine strikeouts and only one walk while forcing Houston to ground in four double plays, including a big one in the ninth.
Two other Marlins (15-14) went deep. John Buck led off the fifth with a solo shot, his second of the season going the opposite way off of Wandy Rodriguez. Hanley Ramirez also went deep for the Marlins for the sixth time of the season, also a solo shot in the ninth.
These two teams will go at it again tomorrow night on FS Florida at 8:05 p.m.