JoeMcClenahan
04-04-2002, 01:26 AM
HOUSTON -- What offense the Houston Astros lacked on Opening Day, they made up for one day later with a 15-2 landslide win over the Milwaukee Brewers in front of 23,381 fans on an unseasonably chilly evening at Astros Field Wednesday.
The Astros exploded with an eight-run fourth inning behind a three-run homer by Daryle Ward while three other Astros batters helped complete the team-wide cycle. Richard Hidalgo drove in the first run with an RBI single to left, followed by Ward's homer, a triple by Geoff Blum and a double by Julio Lugo.
Milwaukee starter Ruben Quevedo was replaced by reliever Mike Buddie the same inning when Quevedo issued walks to Roy Oswalt and Craig Biggio. Brad Ausmus hit a sacrifice fly to score Lugo, and Jeff Bagwell followed up with an infield single that scored Oswalt. While Brewers third baseman Houston attempted a throw out Bagwell at first, Biggio scampered home and avoided the tag from catcher Raul Casanova to plate the eighth and final run of the inning.
Quevedo (0-1) allowed eight runs on four hits with four walks and one strikeout. Only four of the runs were earned due to a Hernandez error on an Ausmus grounder that led off the Astros' eight-run frame.
The Brewers answered with two runs off Oswalt in the fifth when pinch hitter Lenny Harris ended the potential shutout with an infield single to score Houston. Eric Young followed up with a sacrifice fly, bringing home Hernandez for Miwaukee's second run.
Promptly at 9:11 p.m., the game was stopped for a 15-second moment of silence to remember the victims of Sept. 11. At that time, Lance Berkman was up to bat with a 2-1 count, Jeff Bagwell on first and no outs in the sixth inning.
Oswalt (1-0) earned the win after limiting the Brewers to two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings.
Ward added an RBI single in the sixth to cap a 3-for-4 night at the plate, tying his career-high for the third time.
Ausmus and Berkman launched seventh-inning homers off Milwaukee reliever Ray King -- the first for three runs, the second for two -- to give the Astros the final 13-run lead.
Alyson Footer covers the Astros for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
The Astros exploded with an eight-run fourth inning behind a three-run homer by Daryle Ward while three other Astros batters helped complete the team-wide cycle. Richard Hidalgo drove in the first run with an RBI single to left, followed by Ward's homer, a triple by Geoff Blum and a double by Julio Lugo.
Milwaukee starter Ruben Quevedo was replaced by reliever Mike Buddie the same inning when Quevedo issued walks to Roy Oswalt and Craig Biggio. Brad Ausmus hit a sacrifice fly to score Lugo, and Jeff Bagwell followed up with an infield single that scored Oswalt. While Brewers third baseman Houston attempted a throw out Bagwell at first, Biggio scampered home and avoided the tag from catcher Raul Casanova to plate the eighth and final run of the inning.
Quevedo (0-1) allowed eight runs on four hits with four walks and one strikeout. Only four of the runs were earned due to a Hernandez error on an Ausmus grounder that led off the Astros' eight-run frame.
The Brewers answered with two runs off Oswalt in the fifth when pinch hitter Lenny Harris ended the potential shutout with an infield single to score Houston. Eric Young followed up with a sacrifice fly, bringing home Hernandez for Miwaukee's second run.
Promptly at 9:11 p.m., the game was stopped for a 15-second moment of silence to remember the victims of Sept. 11. At that time, Lance Berkman was up to bat with a 2-1 count, Jeff Bagwell on first and no outs in the sixth inning.
Oswalt (1-0) earned the win after limiting the Brewers to two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings.
Ward added an RBI single in the sixth to cap a 3-for-4 night at the plate, tying his career-high for the third time.
Ausmus and Berkman launched seventh-inning homers off Milwaukee reliever Ray King -- the first for three runs, the second for two -- to give the Astros the final 13-run lead.
Alyson Footer covers the Astros for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.