Two more with the Brewers in town

The Astros went to extra innings - again - last night, increasing their average innings pitched per game to 9.08 this season (which is only 2nd place in the league behind the Padres), but the 11 innings of work did not result in a winning outcome for OR an HBP for Craig Biggio. The Astros lost 5-4 in the 11th and Craig Biggio went 2-6 without being hit by a pitch, even though he had 17 thrown in his general direction.

The Brewers are in a pennant race, so they probably know that they're 6-9 all time in games in which they plunk Craig Biggio at least once. If they continue to pitch around him, that could be the reason why. Jeff Suppan will start tonight's game, and he's hit a total of 73 batters in his career other than Craig Biggio. But he also plunked Biggio on July 5, 2003 for the Pirates. Suppan has hit 8 batters this season, which leaves him 2 plunks behind the National League lead.

Biggio has been plunked by the Brewers once before on August 11th - by Bob Wickman in 1998, but he was also plunked by non-Brewer Joey Hamilton on August 11, 1994.

Tomorrow, Claudio Vargas is expected to pitch for the Brewers. He's never plunked Biggio, and he hasn't hit anyone this season despite hitting 7 or 8 batters in each of his prior 4 seasons. But, tomorrow is a day game, and Phil Garner generally seems to believe that Biggio will burst into flames if he plays in a day game (Hey Phil, just because he's old for a baseball player, that doesn't mean he's a vampire).

Biggio was plunked twice on August 12, 1997 against the Marlins, by Al Leiter and Rob Stanifer. He was also plunked on August 12, 2003 by Carlos Zambrano.