Cub reliever Randy Myers faced two batters in the ninth inning Saturday and then left the game with tightness in his left shoulder.
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But he wasn’t the only player to depart prematurely.
Houston center-fielder Brian Hunter was hurt after a collision with right-fielder Derrick May.
Heave-ho: Astros manager Terry Collins was tossed from the game by third-base umpire Charlie Williams during the Cubs’ five-run third inning. Collins argued that Frank Castillo ran out of the baseline to avoid a tag by third baseman Dave Magadan, who was charged with an error on the play.
Hunter and shortstop Ricky Gutierrez also committed errors in the inning.
Walkman: Houston starter Shane Reynolds had unaccustomed control trouble. Going into the game, he had 172 strikeouts to just 32 walks. He’s averaged only 1.7 walks per nine innings in his career. Saturday, however, he walked five in 5 1/3 innings.
Stuck on 11: Castillo was lifted in the fourth, thus losing a chance for his 12th victory of the season. Had he won No. 12, the Cubs would have had four starters with 12 or more victories for the first time since they won their last pennant, 50 years ago in 1945.
Jaime Navarro won 14 games and Kevin Foster and Jim Bullinger had 12 wins apiece this year. In ’45, Hank Wyse won 22, Claude Passeau 17, Paul Derringer 16 and Ray Prim 13.
The ’50s: Mark Grace joined some Cub names of yesteryear Saturday. His sixth-inning double was his 50th of the season. Cubs previously reached this total three times: Kiki Cuyler with 50 in 1930 and Billy Herman with 57 in 1935 and ’36. Pete Rose was the last to reach 50 doubles in the National League–51 in 1978.