Saturday, August 10, 2002
Braves 6, Astros 5, 13 innings
The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Gary Sheffield homered leading off the 13th inning and Rafael Furcal threw out Craig Biggio at the plate to end the game, lifting the Atlanta Braves over the Houston Astros 6-5 Friday night in a wild opener to a series matching two streaking teams.
“I thought Biggio was going to make it easy. It was just two perfect throws,” Braves manager Bobby Cox said. “I just asked him to demonstrate how he did it, and he couldn't. He said he doesn't know how he did it. It was a bullet.”
After Sheffield homered off Nelson Cruz (1-6) in the 13th, Biggio singled against John Smoltz with two outs in the bottom half. Orlando Merced doubled to left, and shortstop Furcal landed awkwardly as he caught Wes Helms' relay throw.
Using his powerful arm, Furcal steadied himself just enough to throw a strike on the fly to catcher Henry Blanco, nailing a sliding Biggio.
“I caught the ball and I slipped. It was a high throw, but I thought I had a chance if I could catch the ball real good. Then I thought I threw it away, but it was a perfect throw,” Furcal said.
Houston manager Jimy Williams said sending Biggio home was the right decision.
“You've got to send him. You've got two outs and a chance to score the tying run. They had to make two accurate throws, and they did,” Williams said.
The Braves, who took two of three at World Series champion Arizona this week, have won nine of 11. They own the best record in the majors at 76-39 and lead the NL East by 18 games — the largest margin in any division.
Closer Billy Wagner blew a three-run lead in the ninth for Houston, which still remained two games behind first-place St. Louis in the NL Central. The Astros lost for just the fourth time in 14 games.
“They hit everything that I threw up there. It was a tough night at the office,” Wagner said. “To have a three-run lead and blow it is a closer's nightmare.”
Tim Spooneybarger (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for his first major league victory. He walked three and struck out three.
“I didn't think he was even going to try to go home. I don't think they know how good Wes and Fookie's arms are. Those are the two guys we wanted handling the ball,” Spooneybarger said.
Smoltz worked the 13th for his 41st save in 45 opportunities.
Cruz (1-6) struck out five in two innings, allowing only Sheffield's 20th home run.
“That was probably the most bizarre way to end a game. I thought there was no way they would send him, but they did and Fookie was throwing the ball falling down,” Sheffield said.
Julio Lugo had four hits, including a two-run homer, for Houston.
Pinch-hitter Julio Franco led off the Atlanta ninth with a single and moved to second when Sheffield walked. Vinny Castilla drove in Franco with a single, and Sheffield scored on a double by Andruw Jones. Castilla scored on Helms' sacrifice fly.
It was Wagner's sixth blown save in 30 chances this season.
Six Houston pitchers combined for a season-high 15 strikeouts.
Astros starter Wade Miller pitched 6 1-3 innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits.
Damian Moss, starting in place of Jason Marquis, went 5 2-3 innings for Atlanta. He allowed five runs on 10 hits and four walks.
Marquis was scratched because of flulike symptoms.
Houston scored three runs in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. Jason Lane singled and moved to third on a double by Brad Ausmus. Lane scored on a sacrifice fly by Miller, and Lugo drove in Ausmus with his eighth home run of the season.
Atlanta took a 1-0 lead in the second after Chipper Jones led off with a double, moved to second on a single by Helms and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mark DeRosa.
The Braves increased their lead to 2-0 when Furcal led off the third inning with his fifth home run of the season.
Houston tied it in the fourth on an RBI single by Jose Vizcaino and an RBI double by Lane. It was Lane's first career extra-base hit and RBI.
The Braves threatened in the sixth, but left fielder Merced threw out Blanco at the plate trying to score on Matt Franco's flyball.
Notes: Moss has allowed seven home runs in his last 105 1-3 innings. ... Chipper Jones has reached base in 21 of his last 37 at-bats. He left in the seventh inning with a strained right hamstring and is day to day. He was injured running out a groundball.
Reds Stories
Bengals 24, Bills 17
Bengals-Bills Stats
Bledsoe impresses in Bills debut
Defense has set lofty goals
Cowboys 20, Raiders 6
Falcons 23, Jaguars 13
Ravens 12, Lions 6
Big-bang theory of tour's style doesn't hold up
Czech mates advance to doubles semifinals
Hewitt ousts Agassi in baseline battle
Players, tour officials at odds over the state of doubles game
Semi makes foes of friends
ATP tennis results and schedule
Williams, Capriati upset
DAUGHERTY: I am rocket man
Veteran Hearn parlayed Indy 500 success into IRL ride
Rudd's out with Yates but on Watkins Glen pole
Buffaloes give Barnett better coaching deal
Carolina, Michigan State, IU help UK ring in 100th season
Gilmour re-signs with Canadiens
Woods in driver's seat at Buick
• Return to Reds front page...
Braves 6, Astros 5, 13 innings
