no dice

Aubrey Huff got hit a pitch for the first time this season last night, but Aaron Harang and the Reds bullpen did not find a way to contribute to Craig Biggio's quest for the all time hit-by-pitch record. The Astros were held scoreless by the combined work of Aaron Harang, Todd Coffey, and Bill Bray and lost 2-0.

Tonight the Astros face Bronson Arroyo, who is long overdue to hit someone. Arroyo has pitched 145 innings and faced 592 batters this season and not hit anyone. Last year he hit 14 batters. The year before that he hit 20 batters. Seeing Bronson Arroyo go this long without hitting a batter is a little like watching a Charles Bronson movie for an hour and not seeing him shoot something. Arroyo plunked Biggio on April 7, 2001 when he pitched for the Pirates.

If today is the day Craig Biggio gets plunked for the 280th time he'll end a trend for plunks on July 26th. He's been hit 3 times on this date, and all 3 were for a career plunk total that ended in 3. Jim Bullinger threw plunk #13 on July 26, 1992, Armando Reynoso threw plunk #53 on July 26, 1995, and Brandon Webb threw plunk #253 on July 26, 2004.