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APRIL 6, 2000
Today concludes the season-opening series in Pittsburgh between the Astros and the Pirates. The Astros will be looking to complete the three-game sweep.
The Astros signed free agent RP Jose Rijo to a 1-year contract worth a total of $282,000 and free agent RP Willie Banks to a 1-year contract worth a total of $216,000.
The Texas Rangers signed free agent 3B Tony Fernandez to a 1-year contract worth a total of $2,440,000.
OTHER GAMES SCHEDULED
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City Royals 1-2 at Toronto Blue Jays 2-1
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1-2 at Minnesota Twins 2-1
Cleveland Indians 1-1 at Baltimore Orioles 1-1
Chicago White Sox 0-3 at Texas Rangers 3-0
Boston Red Sox 1-1 at Seattle Mariners 1-1
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco Giants 0-3 at Florida Marlins 3-0
Chicago Cubs 1-3 at St Louis Cardinals 2-0
Milwaukee Brewers 1-1 at Cincinnati Reds 1-1
Los Angeles Dodgers 3-0 at Montreal Expos 0-3
San Diego Padres 2-0 at New York Mets 1-3
Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 at Arizona Diamondbacks 0-2
HOUSTON ASTROS (2-0) AT PITTSBURGH PIRATES (0-2)
MATCHUPS
SP Chris Holt vs Todd Ritchie Advantage Push
C Mitch Meluskey vs Jason Kendall Advantage Pittsburgh
1B Jeff Bagwell vs Kevin Young Advantage Houston
2B Craig Biggio vs Warren Morris Advantage Houston
3B Bill Spiers vs Mike Benjamin Advantage Houston
SS Russ Johnson vs Pat Meares Advantage Houston
LF Lance Berkman vs Wil Cordero Advantage Houston
CF Richard Hidalgo vs Brian S Giles Advantage Pittsburgh
RF Moises Alou vs John Vander Wal Advantage Houston
Overall Advantage Houston
In the top of the first, Biggio led off the game with a bang! A 362 foot bang. Hidalgo added a two-out RBI single. Meluskey singled to load the bases with two out before Johnson popped up to the pitcher to retire the side.
In the bottom of the first, with runners at first and second and one out, Vander Wal placed the baseball in almost the exact same spot as Biggio as he gave the Pirates the lead with a 362 foot three-run homer.
In the top of the second, Bagwell got in on the act with a 391 foot two-out three-run homer to the opposite field.
In the bottom of the second, the Pirates tied the game thanks to a two-RBI double by the pitcher Ritchie. Ritchie went on to score from third when Giles beat out the 6-4-3 and the Pirates had regained the lead. With a runner on first and two out, Heath Murray took the mound for the Astros. A pair of walks loaded the bases with two out. Cordero drew a walk on a full count pitch to bring home a run. Finally, Meares grounded back to the pitcher to end the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Morris drove a thigh-high curveball 362 feet for a two-out two-run homer. The third 362-foot home run of the game in the first three innings.
After three: Pittsburgh 9 Houston 5.
In the top of the fifth, with runners at first and second and one out, Graeme Lloyd took the mound for the Pirates and got Johnson to ground into the inning-ending 6-4-3.
In the bottom of the fifth, Benjamin led off with a 408 foot homer. That brought Joe Slusarski out to the mound for the Astros. Giles delivered an RBI single. Vander Wal got a run-scoring double. The Pirates went on to load the bases with one out. Slusarski got Lloyd swinging for the second out. Meares then flew to center to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Biggio hit his second solo home run of the game, a 361 foot round-tripper. The Astros went on to load the bases with two out before Hidalgo flew to center to retire the side.
After six: Pittsburgh 12 Houston 6.
In the top of the seventh, a two-out RBI single by Spiers got the Astros a little closer. With runners at first and second and two out, Jimmy Anderson took the mound for the Pirates and got Alou to ground out to retire the side.
In the bottom of the seventh, Mike Maddux took the mound for the Astros. Vander Wal used a sacrifice fly to get another RBI. The Pirates went on to load the bases with two out before Benjamin flew to center to end the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Marc Wilkins took the mound for the Pirates. Bagwell scored from third when Hidalgo grounded into the 5-4-3.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Pirates loaded the bases with two out. Jay Powell took the mound for the Astros and got Kendall to ground to second to end the inning.
The two teams combined for 31 hits in the contest.
Final score: Pittsburgh 13 Houston 8.
PLAYER OF THE GAME
John Vander Wal 3 for 3, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, R, 2 BB
OTHER SCORES
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Kansas City Royals 7 Toronto Blue Jays 5
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 7 Minnesota Twins 6 10 innings
Cleveland Indians 12 Baltimore Orioles 2
Texas Rangers 14 Chicago White Sox 5
Boston Red Sox 8 Seattle Mariners 0
NATIONAL LEAGUE
San Francisco Giants 13 Florida Marlins 2
St Louis Cardinals 8 Chicago Cubs 2
Cincinnati Reds 5 Milwaukee Brewers 2
Montreal Expos 5 Los Angeles Dodgers 3
San Diego Padres 3 New York Mets 2
Arizona Diamondbacks 7 Philadelphia Phillies 4
TOP PERFORMERS
1. Ellis Burks San Francisco Giants 3 for 4, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
2. John Vander Wal Pittsburgh Pirates 3 for 3, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, R, 2 BB
3. Warren Morris Pittsburgh Pirates 3 for 4, HR, 2 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB
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