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GAME LOG
HOUSTON (AP) -- It took an extra inning, but the Houston Astros
finally won a one-run game.
Bill Spiers' RBI single in the 10th inning gave the Astros their
first win in 13 one-run games this season, 5-4 over the Atlanta
Braves on Friday night.
The Astros rallied to win after close Billy Wagner blew his
sixth save in 10 chances by giving up an RBI single to Trenidad
Hubbard in the ninth inning. Houston had lost 14 straight one-run
contests since beating St. Louis 4-3 on Sept. 19.
"We've been on the other end all year with these one-run
games," Spiers said. "This is a good feeling. I hope it
jump-starts us. This has been unreal and unusual. We finally won a
one-run game. I've been stunned. I've never been through anything
in my career like this."
Moises Alou led off the 10th inning with a walk off Rudy Seanez
(2-2). One out later, pinch-hitter Daryle Ward hit a bloop single
to left. With two outs, Spiers lined a single to center to win the
game.
Doug Henry (1-2) pitched the 10th inning as Houston won its
first game against the Braves since losing last year's first-round
playoff series 3-1 to Atlanta.
"I hadn't thought about it (one-run streak) so it doesn't feel
any better but now I won't have to be asked about it all the
time," Astros manager Larry Dierker said.
Wagner's blown save cost Jose Lima a chance for his first win
since April 5. Lima has lost a career-high seven straight decisions
since beating Pittsburgh 11-2 in his first start of the season.
Wagner, who got 39 saves in 42 chances last season, allowed a
leadoff double to Javy Lopez. Pinch-runner Rafael Furcal was thrown
out at third on Reggie Sanders' groundout.
Pinch-hitters Bobby Bonilla and Hubbard followed with singles to
tie the game at 4.
"I think I'm one step closer to getting back to where I was,"
Wagner said. "It's not easy to go out there and get lit up. Those
balls they hit were right down the middle, but my slider has been
good for me. Dierker's going to stick with me.
"I'm saying that's the smartest thing in the world to do. There
are a lot of guys throwing better than I am and we need 'W's more
than Billy Wagner needs saves."
The Braves couldn't get the big hit.
"You've got to give them credit, their bullpen did a good job
and they got their one-run win," Chipper Jones said. "We got a
lot of hits but we just couldn't get that big one to break up the
game. I felt if we could have got the lead, we could have broken it
open."
Lima, who won 21 games last season, has struggled all season,
winning just one time in eight decisions with an 8.19 ERA.
Lima allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings, just
the third time in 10 starts that the right-hander allowed fewer
than five runs in a game.
Lima kept the Braves scoreless until the fifth when Chipper
Jones hit a two-run double. Lopez tied it at 3 in the sixth inning
with a solo homer off Lima, who has allowed a major league-worst 20
20 home runs.
Richard Hidalgo's career-high 16th homer off Tom Glavine broke a
3-3 tie in the sixth inning. Glavine allowed four runs and eight
hits in eight innings.
Jeff Bagwell tripled over Andruw Jones' head with a fly ball
that bounced off the hill in center field scoring Craig Biggio in
the third inning. Bagwell scored from third on second baseman
Quilvio Veras' throwing error to make it 2-0.
Mitch Meluskey's added an RBI single in the fourth inning.
There have been 86 home runs hit in Enron Field this season in
23 games. There were 118 homers in the Astrodome all of last
season.
"It was two well-pitched games," Braves manager Bobby Cox
said. "I thought Tommy pitched well and so did Lima. I'm not
surprised by Lima, he damn near won the Cy Young last year."
Game
notes
Glavine has won eight straight decisions in Houston since
losing 1-0 on June 25, 1991 at the Astrodome. ... The Braves have
scored 70 runs in Glavine's 11 starts. ... The Braves have scored
85 runs in their last 11 games. ... Atlanta is second in the league
in fewest home runs allowed with 49. ... The Astros have sold more
than 2.5 million tickets for the entire season, already the second
best season total in club history. The club record was 2,706,017
last season. ... The Astros were 22-18 in one-run games last
season.
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