Out of Left Field

No one could have predicted that Roy Oswalt's first game against his former Astros teammates would come with Roy O  not on the mound, but playing left field.

On a wild night when Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard was ejected in the 14th inning after being rung up on a check swing for his fifth strikeout, then went berserk at the umpire and had to be restrained, Philadelphia's prized midseason acquisition wound up playing a defensive position other than pitcher for the first time ever as a pro.

Oh, and the Astros won 4-2.

With the Phillies out of position players, Oswalt headed out to left field in the top of the 15th, with left fielder Raul Ibanez replacing Howard at first.

Oswalt became the first Phillies pitcher to play a position in the field since Bill Wilson in 1971.

The first Astros batter in the 15th, catcher Jason Castro, lifted a routine fly to left that Oswalt handled easily.

"There's a saying in baseball: The ball will find you when you're out of position," Ibanez said. "The ball found him and he caught it."

Down to their last out, the Phillies had forced extra innings when Jimmy Rollins blasted a Wilton Lopez pitch into the right-field seats for a 2-2 tie.

In the 14th, closing in on midnight, minor-league umpire Scott Barry, filling in for Gerry Davis at third base, twice called check-swing strikes against Howard. After the second one, Howard threw down his bat in anger, prompting Barry to eject him, and Howard charged at him with arms flailing .