JoeMcClenahan
05-06-2002, 07:16 PM
HOUSTON -- With Al Leiter and Roy Oswalt facing each other in the Houston Astros series finale against the New York Mets on Sunday, odds were that the game was going to be a low-scoring affair.
But Leiter (3-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits over four innings as the Astros coasted to a 12-1 win over the Mets in front of 36,083 fans at Astros Field who witnessed Houston's first series win at home since the opening week when the Astros took two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Oswalt, on the other hand, reeled off seven innings, holding the Mets to an unearned run on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts to improve his record to 4-1 and lower his ERA to 2.30.
"People are overlooking the confidence that we have," said Oswalt about his club. "Earlier in the year we didn't score a lot of runs, but we have a lot of hitters on this team. today with Leiter pitching...he's one of the best in the game so for us to come out and score five on him in four innings is unbelievable."
The Astros broke open a 1-1 tie when they tagged Leiter for four runs in the third. Oswalt led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a base hit by Brian Hunter. Both runners scored when Bagwell snuck a base hit by second baseman Joe McEwing, and Morgan Ensberg drove in two more with a base hit just out of Valentin's reach to give the Astros a 5-1 advantage.
In the sixth, Brad Ausmus began a two-out rally with a double to right-center off Mets reliever Satoru Komiyana. Ensberg walked, and Julio Lugo connected for an infield single to load the bases for Oswalt, who knocked a soft bloop single just past the infield dirt toward center field. Jay Payton and McEwing both ran toward ball, but McEwing missed it and the ball ended up hitting Payton in the face and dropping for a hit. All three runners scored, widening the Astros' lead to 8-1.
Lance Berkman padded the cushion with a solo homer in the seventh off Komiyana and added a three-run shot off Scott Strickland in the eighth to mark his ninth career multi-homer game and his second this season.
The 12 runs allowed by the Mets were a season high.
"He's a very good pitcher," said the Mets' Mo Vaughn. "Has a good fastball, good velocity, 93-94, a nice changeup and curve. He throws everything where he wants it and isn't afraid to come after you."
Each team allowed an unearned run in the game's early stages. In the first, Jose Vizcaino reached on a fielding error by Mets shortstop John Valentin and scored on a double by Berkman to give the Astros an early 1-0 lead.
Lugo entered the game as the only National League shortstop to have played at least 15 games without committing an error, a streak that ended when he made a high throw to Bagwell in a double play attempt in the second inning, allowing Payton to score from second.
But Leiter (3-2) allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits over four innings as the Astros coasted to a 12-1 win over the Mets in front of 36,083 fans at Astros Field who witnessed Houston's first series win at home since the opening week when the Astros took two of three from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Oswalt, on the other hand, reeled off seven innings, holding the Mets to an unearned run on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts to improve his record to 4-1 and lower his ERA to 2.30.
"People are overlooking the confidence that we have," said Oswalt about his club. "Earlier in the year we didn't score a lot of runs, but we have a lot of hitters on this team. today with Leiter pitching...he's one of the best in the game so for us to come out and score five on him in four innings is unbelievable."
The Astros broke open a 1-1 tie when they tagged Leiter for four runs in the third. Oswalt led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and advanced to third on a base hit by Brian Hunter. Both runners scored when Bagwell snuck a base hit by second baseman Joe McEwing, and Morgan Ensberg drove in two more with a base hit just out of Valentin's reach to give the Astros a 5-1 advantage.
In the sixth, Brad Ausmus began a two-out rally with a double to right-center off Mets reliever Satoru Komiyana. Ensberg walked, and Julio Lugo connected for an infield single to load the bases for Oswalt, who knocked a soft bloop single just past the infield dirt toward center field. Jay Payton and McEwing both ran toward ball, but McEwing missed it and the ball ended up hitting Payton in the face and dropping for a hit. All three runners scored, widening the Astros' lead to 8-1.
Lance Berkman padded the cushion with a solo homer in the seventh off Komiyana and added a three-run shot off Scott Strickland in the eighth to mark his ninth career multi-homer game and his second this season.
The 12 runs allowed by the Mets were a season high.
"He's a very good pitcher," said the Mets' Mo Vaughn. "Has a good fastball, good velocity, 93-94, a nice changeup and curve. He throws everything where he wants it and isn't afraid to come after you."
Each team allowed an unearned run in the game's early stages. In the first, Jose Vizcaino reached on a fielding error by Mets shortstop John Valentin and scored on a double by Berkman to give the Astros an early 1-0 lead.
Lugo entered the game as the only National League shortstop to have played at least 15 games without committing an error, a streak that ended when he made a high throw to Bagwell in a double play attempt in the second inning, allowing Payton to score from second.