Pregame
Oh, good! More political ads. I yearn for the good old days of W.B. Mason and inexplicably bad Phillies promos.

Your starters today are Brett Myers for the Phillies (1-1, 5.00) and Brandon Backe for the Astros (1-1, 2.25). Here's the Yahoo! box score. Meanwhile, Harry Kalas has just said "both teams have won a game... in the first two games." So, yes, this is the rubber game.

Top 1st
The Astros go down 1-2-3 in four minutes. That's my kind of baseball.

Bottom 1st
Odd Tito Day lineup for the Phillies today, with So Taguchi leading off and Greg Dobbs batting second. They both single, though, and Ryan Howard singles home Taguchi a batter later -- his second straight game with a first-inning RBI.

First and third with 1 out. 1-0 Phils.

After Pat Burrell singles home another run -- an infield single! -- Geoff Jenkins doubles home Ryan Howard while Pat Burrell is thrown out at the plate. After an inning, it's 3-0, Phils.

Top 2nd
Now this is back to Brett Myers-style pitching. The first two batters single, and it's first and second with nobody out.

A friend at the game has just texted me to notify me that the today's national anthem was sung by the ringmaster at the circus in town. Hopefully he spoke Ringling. Meanwhile, Eric Bruntlett snares a line drive for the first out.

The Phillies get out of the inning on a strikeout and a play at the plate; Humberto Quintero singles to right, but Geoff Jenkins gets Carlos Lee by about 17 miles at the plate. Chris Coste easily tags him out and it's still 3-0.

Bottom 2nd
Tom McCarthy is now interviewing Astros GM Ed Wade! Ohh, welcome back, Ed!

Brett Myers leads off with a walk and So Taguchi singles again. Greg Dobbs hits a home-run distance shot to right field and.... it's just foul. Drag.

A batter later, Chase Utley hits a ball off the right field wall, but Brett Myers doesn't know how to run the bases so he only makes it to third. And with the bases loaded, it's a 4-6-3 double play and the inning is over. Phillies baseball!

Top 3rd
By the way, this W.B. Mason ad hasn't been shown yet today, but it's been bothering me all season.

I, like, kinda get it; he's using Mac OS 9 and the hockey puck mouse and riding a Razor scooter and W.B. Mason is even more retro! But, uh, what? This is kind of inexplicable even for a W.B. Mason ad.

Myers strikes out the opposing pitcher; ex-Phillie Michael Bourn walks and will no doubt steal second in a pitch or two.

Bourn does steal -- after Myers strikes out another batter -- and it's all rendered moot as Myers strikes out his third of the inning. Still 3-0, Phils.

Bottom 3rd
Hey, this is fun! It's 4-0, Phillies, after a Burrell walk, an Astros error on a possible double play ball and a Chris Coste RBI double. Second and third, nobody out, with The Mighty Eric Bruntlett at the plate.

Shockingly, the next three batters all go down. Still a four-run lead for the Fightins, though.

Top 4th
The Phillies announcers let us know Miguel Tejada is actually two years older than the birthdate listed in the Astros media guide. (This isn't all that rare. Albert Pujols is actually 67.) Tejada then hits a homer to spite the announcers. 4-1.

Bottom 4th
Where were these runs earlier this week? Chase Utley hits a two-run homer after a Greg Dobbs single and it's 6-1. It appears the Astros are going to pull Brandon Backe now. Time for more exciting ads -- I bet some will be for Tuesday's election!

The Philles end up loading the bases with one out but Eric Bruntlett and Brett Myers can't get anybody else home. (Myers did work a full count and had a pretty good at-bat, especially for a pitcher.)

Top 5th
Tom McCarthy just said it would be fun to go to the Phillies game this afternoon, "grab some dinner in the area" and then head to the Flyers' playoff game tonight against the Washington Capitals. Your choices for dinner in the area: McFadden's Citizens Bank Park, Benny the Bums, Celebre's Pizza (this one is good) and Chickie's and Pete's. I'm probably missing a few, but, uh... yum?

Bottom 5th
That was the first 1-2-3 inning of the day for the Phillies. Fortunately, our crack announcing team got me thought it. Or, in actuality, I was reading a book for a column next week. But that's okay, the Phillies are still up 6-1.

Top 6th
1-2-3! That was easy. The sixth is the McCarthy/Wheeler-announced inning, and as you may know I've complained about that every single game I've watched this year.

Bottom 6th
Just like that, the announcers say Ryan Howard is in a slump, and then, bam, he hits a bomb to right field. Chris Wheeler says, "That's why they say, 'There's no such thing as a good down and in pitch to a lefthanded hitter if it's on the plate.'" Yes, that's what they always say. 7-1, Phils.

Pat Burrell goes back-to-back! It's 8-1 and the Phillies are rolling today. One homer each for the 3-4-5 hitters.

Top 7th
Brett Myers picks up his eighth strikeout, and maybe the simple explanation was right: The Phillies will start playing better once it gets warmer. Bring on the global warming!

Bottom 7th
Another 1-2-3 inning. This time it matters even less, since it's 8-1. Basically everyone's just counting down the outs 'til the Phillies get back to .500 again.

But: Tom Gordon is coming in. Oh no it'll be a save situation soon!

Top 8th
THE PIE MAN! Tomas Perez pinch hits for the Astros, which shows you how good Houston is this year. He, naturally, got a hit.

Bottom 8th
Seriously? The Astros have Tomas Perez on their bench? Starting ex-Phillies CF Michael Bourn makes sense; he's a young guy who could become a solid contributor. Geoff Geary in the bullpen makes sense, too; he was okay during his time in Philly. But Tomas Perez is pretty much inexplicable. He didn't even play last season!

Geoff Jenkins doubles with one out in the bottom of the eighth for the Phillies' 15th hit of the day.

Make that 16! Chris Coste hits a homer (he's 4-for-5) to make it 10-1. This is more like it.

Top 9th
Wow, the fans really booed loudly for Carlos Lee's ninth-inning homer even though it's 10-2. To be fair, they were probably booing a fan who didn't throw the ball back. To be even more fair, that's even more annoying.

Final: Phillies 10, Astros 2
The Phillies are back at .500 yet again! Hooray, hooray, start the parade down Broad Street.