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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
HOUSTON (AP) _ Jay Canizaro hit a two-run homer in the seventh
inning and Joe Mays combined with three relievers on a six-hitter
as the Minnesota Twins beat the Houston Astros 2-0 Wednesday night
in the first shutout at Enron Field. It was the lowest-scoring game among the 31 games played in the
ballpark, which opened this year. Previously, there had been a pair
of four-run games, including Minnesota's 3-1 win Tuesday night. Houston was blanked for the first time in 86 games since the New
York Mets did it last Aug. 25. The Astros had put together the
longest active streak of games without a shutout in the major
leagues. Canizaro's homer was the 106th in the ballpark, just 12 fewer
than the entire 1999 total in the Astrodome. Mays (3-7) didn't allow a hit until the fourth, when Jeff
Bagwell and Moises Alou singled. In all, Mays allowed four hits and
struck out a season-high eight. He escaped a bases-loaded situation
in the sixth by striking out Ken Caminiti, Alou and Richard
Hidalgo. Travis Miller gave up one hit in two-thirds of an inning, LaTroy
Hawkins gave up one hit in 1 1-3 innings, and Eddie Guardado got
the final out for his fourth save. Shane Reynolds (5-3), winless in five starts since May 10,
allowed two runs and nine hits in seven innings. He worked out of a
one-out, bases-loaded jam in the second by striking out Mays and
Canizaro. But Canizaro hit his third homer in the seventh following a
single by pinch-hitter Corey Koskie. Twins pitchers, who had a 5.08 combined ERA coming in, allowed
only one run and 12 hits in the last two games, taking the series
2-1. Reynolds, who had three hit batters in 1998 and 1999 combined,
hit two in the first two innings, raising his season total to five. Astros outfielders threw out a pair of runners in the first six
innings. Hidalgo threw out Jacque Jones from center trying to
stretch a single in the fourth and right fielder Lance Berkman
threw out Matt Lawson following a single in the sixth. Notes: The Astros are 0-29 when trailing after eight innings. ...
Counting Cristian Guzman's stolen base in the first inning, catcher
Mitch Meluskey is now 4-for-35 in throwing out basestealers this
year. ... The Twins have hit 36 of their 45 homers off
right-handers. ... The Twins are 21-2 when leading after the
eighth. ... Minnesota got its second shutout.
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