Thursday, July 04, 2002
Astros 11, Reds 4
Bagwell, Biggio bash three homers
By Tom Groeschen tgroeschen@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Houston's aging Killer B's brought their “A” game Wednesday and partied like it was 1999. Jeff Bagwell (age 34) and Craig Biggio (36) combined for three homers and seven RBI as the Astros beat the Reds 11-4, dropping Cincinnati two games behind St.Louis in the NL Central.
Attendance was 19,488 with a game-time temperature of 94 degrees, the third straight night of 90-plus heat at Cinergy Field.
The B's would have had a total of eight RBI, but Biggio was stripped one RBI in a postgame scoring change. Biggio originally was credited with a hit on an infield nubber that scored a run in the second inning, but the decision later was ruled an error by starting pitcher Chris Reitsma, who failed to field the ball cleanly.
Bagwell, a career .303 hitter, entered Wednesday hitting just .260. Biggio, a .291 lifetime hitter, was batting just .253. Each also has suffered a decline in power and stolen bases this year: Bagwell entered with just 12 homers, 41 RBI and four steals; Biggio with six homers, 30 RBI and nine steals. That's well off their typical paces.
But the two tattooed Reitsma (3-7), who allowed nine runs — albeit all unearned.
“They're both still good hitters,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “They're not over the hill by any means. It's just that they're overshadowed by (Lance) Berkman right now.”
Though the Reds and Astros wore vintage uniforms two nights earlier on “Turn Back The Clock Night,” Biggio and Bagwell waited until Wednesday to observe the theme.
Bagwell had three hits, including two homers, and tied a season high with five RBI.
Biggio had two hits, including a homer, and two RBI.
Reitsma was tagged for nine runs in four innings, on eight hits. It was Reitsma's seventh straight defeat.
“You can put this game all on my shoulders,” Reitsma said. “I didn't do my job.”
Reitsma said his mishandling of Biggio's grounder, which opened the gates to a five-run Astros second inning, should have been ruled an error. Minutes later, after reporters had returned to the press box from postgame interviews, the change was announced.
The Reds lost their second straight game, as they dropped two out of three games in the Houston series.
“He (Reitsma) made some mistakes. And not fielding that ball, you make some more (pitching) mistakes and get some balls up, and the game's over,” Boone said.
Reitsma hung a breaking ball to Bagwell that the lat ter turned into a three-run homer, giving Houston a 5-1 lead in the third inning. Biggio homered in a four-run fourth that made it 9-2, and that was that.
Bagwell, nursing a sore shoulder most of the season, said he and teammates are just trying to help Berkman, who entered Wednesday with 27 homers and a major-league-high 74 RBI.
“You don't do it with just one guy,” Bagwell said. “Somebody's got to pick up Lance every once in awhile. It's taken my swing a long time to come around this year. I'm not saying it's back yet, but hopefully we can get this going and get back in the race.”
Third-place Houston stands 7 1/2 games behind the Cardinals.
Wednesday, the currently most dangerous Killer B — Houston's lone 2002 All-Star, Berkman — was just a bit player. He contributed a sacrifice fly after hitting two homers Tuesday night.
Houston ace Roy Oswalt (9-5) wasn't at his best but didn't need to be. Oswalt worked six innings and allowed four runs.
The Reds went ahead 1-0 in the second inning, but Houston stormed back 5-1 in the top of the third. Biggio originally was credited with an RBI single when, with the bases loaded, Reitsma failed to barehand Biggio's infield hit. Berkman followed with a sacrifice fly, making it 2-1. Bagwell then hit a three-run homer to make it 5-1.
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