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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
HOUSTON (AP) – The stats were not great for Shane Reynolds. The
result, though, was outstanding.
|  | | Astros second baseman Craig Biggio hops over Atlanta's Rafael Furcal, but Biggio was unable to turn the double play and get Andruw Jones at first. |
Reynolds, coming off knee surgery in December, beat the Atlanta
Braves for the first time in the regular season since 1997, helping
the Houston Astros to an 11-6 win Tuesday night.
Moises Alou homered twice and drove in four runs for the Astros.
He tied his career high with four hits, and had his 17th multihomer
game in the majors.
Chipper Jones hit two home runs for Atlanta on his 29th
birthday.
Reynolds had gone 0-4 with a 6.48 ERA in six starts against the
Braves in the regular season since Aug. 20, 1997.
In addition, it was his first victory since July 23 of last year
when he beat St. Louis 15-7. After that, Reynolds missed the last
two months of the season with degenerative disks in his back.
"It was real nice to get a win," he said.
Reynolds (1-1) pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up five runs and
seven hits.
"The team hit the ball well and played great defense and the
way I was pitching, we needed that," he said. "I'm still not in a
groove. It feels like it's not Shane out there. I didn't have a
sharp bite on my split-finger and didn't have good movement on my
fastball. But it's a win and that's a really good feeling right
now, no matter who it is or how I got it."
Reynolds walked two, gave up two home runs and did not
record a strikeout. But manager Larry Dierker wasn't complaining.
"Shane wasn't at his best," Dierker said. "But at least he
didn't walk a lot of guys. When you let them hit it, at least we
have a chance to go get the ball.
"He didn't seem to have real sharp stuff. His velocity was
about the same but his fastball was just missing. But he got the
job done. He hasn't done real well against these guys in the past
and I think it should help his confidence to get a win against
them."
The Braves praised Reynolds.
"Reynolds looked fine," manager Bobby Cox said. "He gave up
some hits, but you're going to give up some hits in this park. I
thought he was popping the ball up there tonight."
Jones was impressed by Reynolds.
"I do OK against him," Jones said. "He's an awfully good
pitcher. He's been No. 1 over here for a long time. He gives it
everything he's got every time he's out there.
"He's got one of the best split-fingers around, a good fastball
and a better than average hook. I have a lot of respect for him,"
he said.
Alou continued his comeback from being on the disabled list the
first two weeks of the season with a strained right calf muscle.
"He's such a good hitter," Dierker said. "Even when he
finally makes an out, it's a line drive or a hard-hit ball."
Making only his fifth start of the year, Alou said he's still
uncertain of himself on the field.
"I think I'm just not ready to know I'm 100 percent," Alou
said. "I think physically I'm 100 percent, but it's just a matter
of playing another week or so and getting the feeling of being
healthy. I feel pretty good."
Kent Bottenfield pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up one run, for
his first save.
Odalis Perez (1-3) was lifted after the leadoff hitter reached
base in the fourth. He allowed seven runs on six hits and four
walks.
Alou hit an RBI single in the first. In the fourth, Alou and
Tony Eusebio each hit their first homers of the season, both
connecting for two-run shots that made it 10-2.
Alou's second home run came in the sixth and made it 11-5.
Jones homered in the first inning and again in the sixth, giving
him five this season. It was the 19th two-homer game of his career.
The Astros scored twice in the first on Richard Hidalgo's RBI
double and Alou's single.
In the second, Perez walked Jeff Bagwell with the bases loaded,
then balked home another run to put the Astros ahead 4-1.
Houston made it 6-1 in the third on an RBI double by Eusebio and
a sacrifice fly by Chris Truby.
The Braves scored in the fourth on Rico Brogna's RBI single.
Down 10-2, Atlanta scored three times in the sixth, with Jones
hitting a leadoff homer.
Game notes
Alou had four hits 14 previous times, the last time on June
27, 2000, at Arizona ... Reynolds is now 5-4 in his career vs.
Atlanta ... This was only the third time in 12 games that Atlanta
has lost after scoring first.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Houston Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 9
Minnesota 4
Anaheim 7
Cleveland 2
Baltimore 8
Detroit 3
Seattle 7
NY Yankees 5
Toronto 7
Texas 5
Tampa Bay 4
Kansas City 2
Oakland 6
Chi. White Sox 4
Houston 11
Atlanta 6
Milwaukee 6
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 7
Montreal 2
Colorado 14
Chicago Cubs 1
Arizona 9
Florida 8
Philadelphia 12
San Diego 7
Pittsburgh 5
Los Angeles 1
Cincinnati 9
San Francisco 5
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