18 innings... twice!

So he we start... the down to the wire games. Despite the Phils back to back annihilations of the Mets, 13-0 and 11-4 they are still 2.5 games out of the wild card lead with the Reds losing last night to the Cards 5-0. But the game of the night last night was clearly the Cubs/Astros game. Down 6-5 in the 9th pinch hitting Matt Murton came in and homered off Brad Lidge who blew his fifth save of the year. Lidge was pulled later in the inning after giving up 2 more singles. Many say he has still not recovered since blowing the game against the Cardinals last year in the NL Finals when Pujols hit that Moon shot that prompted me (being in Houston at a bar at the time) to simply speak the words HOLY SH*T, Holy Sh*t... holy sh*t. (back to the cubs/stros) So after using a total of 18 pitchers in the game tying an NL record, Matt Murton AGAIN hit a two-run Single in the 18th inning to put the Cubs up for good 8-6. The Astros are the first team in 21 years to lose to game in one season that lasted at least 18 innings (earlier in the Year against Pittsburgh). The Loss made the Astros 1-7 against the Cubs at home this year and dropped them to a 57-62 record and 4 games out of the NL wild card. But right after that, another game went 18 innings!! Arizona topped off Colorado 2-1 in 18 innings making last night the first night in MLB history where two games went 18 innings in one night. Luis Gonzalez hit an RBI single in the top of the 18th to break a 1-1 game that had been tied since the 5th inning. Gonzalez was previously 0 for 7 in the game. With Arizona's win they gained a game on the Reds making them only one game out of wild card lead. Colorado dropped to 58-61 putting them 3.5 games out of the chase. Elsewhere the Padres failed to gain a game on the Reds by losing to San Fran 3-2.
In the AL Minnesota won again defeating the Indians 4-1 and with the help of a Boston loss to Detroit in the 9th, and a White Sox lose to the Royals, the Twins are only 2 games out of the lead for the Wild Card. The Yanks beat the O's 6-3 thanks to the help of the O's bullpen. Bedard threw 6 strong innings for the O's only to have the relievers come in and blow a 3-1 lead in the 7th. With the win the Yanks extended their AL East lead over the Red Sox to 3 games.
Only one more day to game night!!! Ravens v. Eagles tomorrow night 8:00 fox! I'm ready to bleed Eagle Green.