Astros D nd positives in ‘ greatest season’

Backe’s effort couldn’t rescue NL champions

HOUSTON — The Houston Astros got a near- historic performance from their No. 4 starter, but their All- Star closer failed them again, and now their season is over.

And after Brad Lidge suffered his second loss of this World Series on Wednesday

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night, he had a 0 rm grip on perspective.

“ We lost and it’s not a great day, but we have to remember that our team did more than any other Astros team,” Lidge said after the Chicago White Sox completed a fourgame sweep by beating the Astros 1-0 in Game 4 of the World Series. “ They did a fantastic job of beating us in four games.”

Lidge gave up Jermaine Dye’s RBI single in the eighth inning for the only run. Dye hit Lidge’s slider.

“ That was a good piece of hitting by Dye,” Astros manager Phil Garner said. “ He hit a slider where we like for Brad to throw it. Dye got it up the middle.

“ All along in this series, we talked about how they were doing a nice job of hitting, and that ( Dye’s at- bat) was a classic case.”

The Astros were in the World Series for the 0 rst time in their 44- year history after starting 15- 30 and winning Little relief when it counts: Brad Lidge of the Astroswalks around on the mound after surrendering Jermaine Dye’s game- winning RBI in the eighth inning. Lidge lost two games in the Series. the National League’s wild card o n the 0 nal d ay o f the regular season.

Lidge also lost Game 2 on a ninth- inning, walk-off home run by the White Sox’s Scott Podsednik.

The Astros lost despite a brilliant pitching performance from starter Brandon Backe, who pitched seven shutout innings and 0 nished with seven strikeouts, including 0 ve consecutive in one stretch.

It was one strikeout short of the World Series record, done three times, most recently by the St. Louis Cardinals’ Todd Worrell in 1985.

Astros players felt for Backe.

“ Brandon pitched an unbelievable game,” second baseman Craig Biggio said. “ We just couldn’t score him any runs. But I’m still proud of this team. I think it is was just more their destiny than ours ( to win the World Series).”

Astros owner Drayton McLane was upbeat as he walked around the clubhouse, hugging players and thanking them for what he called the “ greatest season in Astros history.”

When he got to lefty Andy Pettitte, McLane said, “ Look what’s happened in the last two years. You’ve been here two years and good things have happened,” referring to the Astros making the NL Championship Series last year and the World Series this October.

Shortstop Adam Everett said: “We can’t hang our heads, because we’ve done something that this organization h as n ever d on e, a n d that’s play in the World Series. We all know we can win it. We have a lot of pride.

“ The Astros have been a good t eam, b ut n obody knows that. We put the Houston Astros on the map.”

Out0 elder Chris Burke said the World Series was an amazing experience. He said the White Sox played better and got the breaks.

“ They made more pitches in big situations and got more hits in big situations,” he said.

Latino legends:

Juan Marichal and Rod Carew remember the discrimination Latino ballplayers faced on and off the 0 eld. Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez and Ivan Rodriguez have heard the stories and can only imagine what it was like now that Latinos make up nearly 25% of all bigleague rosters.

The generations of Latino greats spent quality time together at the World Series. Twelve players and seven countries were honored before Game 4 as part of a Major League Baseball promotion that chose an all- time team of Latino players.

Marichal, Carew, both Rodriguezes and Martinez were among those introduced by actor Edward James Olmos. Others present: Edgar Martinez, Fernando Valenzuela and two sons of the late Roberto Clemente, Luis and Roberto Jr. Marichal threw out the ceremonial 0 rst pitch to Ivan Rodriguez, using his trademark high leg kick.

Other players chosen to the Latino Legends team included Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero and Mariano Rivera. More than 1.6 million voting were cast online and at selected car dealerships.

Aaron winners:

The Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz ( 47 home runs, 148 RBI) and the Atlanta Braves’ Andruw Jones ( 51, 128) were named the Hank Aaron Award winners as top hitters in their leagues. Contributing: Wire reports

By Eileen Blass, USA TODAY