Astros get slammed, then split
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
PITTSBURGH -- Vinny Castilla couldn't wait. Dismayed and shocked after watching Brian Giles' game-winning grand slam, the Astros' third baseman wanted to get back on the diamond Saturday night. Suddenly, he and his teammates appreciated the opportunity to play the split day-night doubleheader.
UPDATE
? Saturday: Pirates 9-3, Astros 8-12.
? Record: 57-47.
? Today: At Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.
? Starting pitchers: Wade Miller (12-5) vs. Todd Ritchie (6-10).
? TV/radio: Ch. 51; KTRH (740 AM) and in Spanish on KRTX (980 AM).
After the Pittsburgh Pirates mounted a seven-run assault with two outs in the ninth against Mike Jackson and Billy Wagner to come from behind and beat the Astros in the first game 9-8, Castilla wanted a chance for redemption. For others, the long three hours and 30 minutes between games seemed like an eternity.
"The object is to win," Castilla said after his three home runs in the first game weren't enough to carry the Astros. "It doesn't make me happy to hit three home runs and lose. We lost the game and that's all I care about right now."
The Astros got their redemption in the second game, winning 12-3 to salvage a split in the doubleheader and tie the five-game series at two games apiece heading into today's finale. They moved within 3 1/2 games of the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs with the split, but they also saw the St. Louis Cardinals creep within four games of second place. A sweep of the doubleheader would have pulled the Astros within 2 1/2 games of Chicago.
EXTRA
? Castilla's blasts fall short
In the second game, the Astros got the crucial outs when needed. Rookie righthander Tony McKnight, up from Class AAA New Orleans to make the spot start, escaped several jams while scattering nine hits and two runs in seven innings. Ron Villone, who had bailed out Roy Oswalt in the seventh inning of the first game, found himself in trouble in the second game.
With the score 8-2 -- identical to the lead the Astros gave away in the ninth inning of the opener -- Villone allowed two hits and hit one batter to load the bases with one out in the eighth. That forced Astros manager Larry Dierker to bring in Octavio Dotel, who was held out of the first game because of a tender right elbow.
Keith Osik hit an RBI grounder to first for the second out. Adam Hyzdu grounded to third to end the threat, allowing the Astros to head into the ninth with an 8-3 lead.
"It's bothering me a little," Dotel said of his elbow. "But as soon as I get loose, I'm fine. When I'm on the mound facing hitters, I don't feel nothing. I'm ready to pitch."
The Astros' offense -- which had scored one run in the second, four in the third and three in the fourth -- added four runs in the ninth to secure the split.
EXTRA
? Unlucky Seven
"As a club, we were probably lucky that it was a split doubleheader," said Jeff Bagwell, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the second game. "It wasn't 20 minutes and here we go again. You didn't have to dwell on it. We got to hang out a little bit and collect our thoughts and go back at it. ...
"Every time we take the field, we feel like we're going to win. We had a bad situation last year and lost a game like that in Milwaukee, but today was just one of them flukes."
Regardless, the sting of the first game's debacle endured during the wait between games.
"Truly, the hardest part after losing the first game was to have to wait in the clubhouse for another game," said Moises Alou, who was 3-for-4 in the second game. "When you lose a game like that, you want to go home and forget about it.
"It was difficult to have to wait for that second game. We knew we had to win. Last year if that had happened, you could say, `Here we go again.' This year, we're too good to lose a game like that."
Dierker's managing for a doubleheader cost the Astros in the first game, when the Pirates became only the second team in NL history to score seven runs with two outs in the ninth.
"Jackson may have been out there anyway, but Dotel had some tenderness in his elbow," Dierker said. "I didn't want to use him in both games. I was hoping I could get Jackson for the last inning and have Octavio and Billy for the second game."
Thanks in large part to Castilla's three homers, the Astros led the first game 8-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Jackson retired the side in order in the eighth and the first two of the ninth. It all broke down from there.
"That's what they mean when they say, `In baseball until you get 27 outs, it's not over,' " Castilla said.
Kevin Young started the two-out rally with a double down the left-field line, and Pat Meares added a two-run homer.
"I threw the ball over the plate and they hit it," Jackson said. "I had no slider today. I went out there and tried to get them out, but that's part of the game. It was tough to digest a game like that, especially with the Cubs losing. But you can't dwell on it."
After Hyzdu singled to left and Tike Redman walked, Jack Wilson added an RBI single to left to cut the Astros' lead to 8-5.
EXTRA
? McKnight answers the call
"It seemed like (Jackson) felt all right, but after he got the first two guys out everybody hit the ball hard," Dierker said. "He must have been throwing it down the middle."
Suddenly, Wagner had a save situation.
Wagner, who had allowed only one run over 17 1/3 innings while converting his previous 18 consecutive save opportunities, hit Jason Kendall with a pitch to load the bases.
"Kendall was the hitter that really hurt," Wagner said. "You put yourself in that situation. You bring a hitter like (Giles) up, and that's going to happen. ... When I came in, the snowball was rolling. They had a lot of momentum going, and it's tough when you come in there and they have the momentum like that. That's a tough situation."
Giles, who had robbed Castilla of a home run at the left-field wall in the fourth, ended the first game by depositing a 1-0 pitch into the right-field seats for his fourth career grand slam.
"I was just trying to put it in play and hit it hard," Giles said. "I knew it was gone."
Everybody knew it was gone. The crowd of 32,977 even appeared to anticipate the slam before Giles stepped to the plate.
"I hate to tell Billy to be careful about anything, but he could have given him a single or walked him and still been in good shape," Dierker said. "I don't think it's in his nature to pitch around somebody. That option was there if he wanted to use it, but he didn't."
As bad as that defeat appeared, Dierker didn't think it was the most shocking defeat of his career as manager. Just last year, the Astros led 9-2 in the first game of a doubleheader against Milwaukee. The Brewers scored seven runs in the ninth to send the game into extra innings before winning 10-9 in the 10th.
"This probably wasn't the worst one I've seen, but it's close," Dierker said. "I think this was not quite as bad as the last one."
Dierker might be right, but it didn't feel any better.
"It's kind of amazing," said Oswalt, who was in line for his ninth victory of the season, "especially with two outs and nobody on."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press box view
Immediately after the Astros' 9-8 loss in the first game, Billy Wagner and Mike Jackson, two of the most stand-up Astros, stood by their lockers after blowing a seven-run lead. They waited for the media. In a myopic decision by Astros public relations assistant Todd Fedewa and manager Larry Dierker, the clubhouse was closed after they originally agreed with the Pirates to open both clubhouses for 30 minutes after the first game. It's an insult to guys like Jeff Bagwell, Wagner, Jackson and Moises Alou to believe they are not professional enough to deal with the media after tough losses. Drayton McLane Jr., a great guy to the media, should remedy this situation fast.
Coming up
Wade Miller (12-5, 4.06 ERA) snapped his only two-game losing streak of the season with one of his most impressive starts of the year. In that 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday, he scattered two hits and one run with two walks and seven strikeouts in eight innings.
Todd Ritchie (6-10) will pitch for the Pirates.
In the minors
Class AAA New Orleans -- Omar Ramirez drove in three runs and Travis Driskill pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to get his 10th victory as the New Orleans Zephyrs defeated the Oklahoma RedHawks, 7-2, in the opener of a four-game Pacific Coast League series Saturday night at Zephyr Field.
Class AA Round Rock -- Round Rock rode 12 strikeouts from lefty Carlos Hernandez, 21, to a 4-2 Texas League victory over El Paso. 1B Kevin Burns drove in a run for the fourth straight game in a row.
By the numbers
Before Saturday, the Astros had played in 13 split day-night doubleheaders, but the last one was Aug. 10, 1968, against the Pirates.
Did you know?
Before the Pirates accomplished the trick in the first game of the split day-night doubleheader against the Astros, the only National League team to score seven runs in the ninth inning with two outs and nobody on was the Cubs, who scored seven against the Reds in the first game of a doubleheader June 29, 1952. The Cubs also won that game 9-8. The American League record is nine runs.
-- JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary
Taken by surprise
As an accomplished veteran, Jeff Bagwell would appreciate it if manager Larry Dierker tells him ahead of time when he will be out of the starting lineup.
For that reason, the star first baseman was upset when he walked into the visitor's clubhouse at PNC Park on Saturday morning and realized his name was not in the starting lineup for the afternoon game of the split day-night doubleheader.
"I don't know if I expect (to be told ahead of time), but I've asked for that," said Bagwell, who put on his spikes at 9:40 a.m. before realizing he wasn't starting. "For guys who are regularly in the lineup, you expect to play every day. If I was going to get rest in the first game, we don't have to come in at 9:30 in the morning. I'm here for one, so I might as well play both."
Bagwell, who was used as a pinch hitter in the first game, acknowledges it takes a toll on his body to play daily.
"But the bottom line is that I want to be out there," he said. "Do I need a day off? Yes. I got just as much emotional and physical stuff as other people do. I just don't show it sometimes."
Change of plans
When it appeared the Astros would win the first game of the split day-night doubleheader in the top of the ninth, the Pirates' public relations department announced both clubhouses would be open for 30 to 45 minutes after the first game.
The Astros, who didn't object at first because both managers agreed to open the clubhouse win or lose prior to the game, changed the rules immediately after the Pirates scored seven runs to complete the shocking 9-8 comeback.
Considering that the Astros had not played in a split day-night doubleheader since 1968, some room for error is allowed. Mike Jackson and Billy Wagner are two of the most approachable players in the Astros' clubhouse, and they were not given a chance to speak immediately after the game.
Instead, manager Larry Dierker took questions in his office, and Vinny Castilla (three home runs) and starter Roy Oswalt (no decision while allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings) were brought out to speak to the media.
In a much more demanding split day-night doubleheader last July at Shea Stadium in the afternoon and Yankee Stadium at night, the Mets opened their home clubhouse to the large media contingent immediately after losing the first game of the historic doubleheader.
Once the buses arrived at Yankee Stadium, both clubhouses were opened until 45 minutes prior to the first pitch.
Odd Mann out
As expected, reliever Jim Mann was sent down to Class AAA New Orleans after the first game of the doubleheader to make room for Tony McKnight, who started the second game after being recalled from New Orleans.
Mann was not made available to the media afterward by the Astros' public relations department. He was 0-0 with a 3.37 ERA, allowing three hits and two runs while walking two, hitting two and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings over four games.
Elarton throws
Scott Elarton, on the disabled list with a strained right biceps, threw on the side for the third consecutive day.
"It feels good," said Elarton, who expects to throw off the mound late next week.
Wasted effort
Rookie righthander Roy Oswalt, who had allowed 11 earned runs over 10 1/3 innings in his previous two starts, was denied the victory by the ninth-inning collapse in the first game. He pitched well, though, scattering seven hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Oswalt, despite pitching well, didn't pass any blame on his teammates.
"Those guys have helped me out all the time," he said.
If anything, Oswalt acknowledged he could have done better.
"I need to start going longer in the games to give the bullpen a rest," he said. "Instead of going just six, I need to go later in the game. I'm pleased with what I did when I was out there."
By JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
PITTSBURGH -- Vinny Castilla couldn't wait. Dismayed and shocked after watching Brian Giles' game-winning grand slam, the Astros' third baseman wanted to get back on the diamond Saturday night. Suddenly, he and his teammates appreciated the opportunity to play the split day-night doubleheader.
UPDATE
? Saturday: Pirates 9-3, Astros 8-12.
? Record: 57-47.
? Today: At Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.
? Starting pitchers: Wade Miller (12-5) vs. Todd Ritchie (6-10).
? TV/radio: Ch. 51; KTRH (740 AM) and in Spanish on KRTX (980 AM).
After the Pittsburgh Pirates mounted a seven-run assault with two outs in the ninth against Mike Jackson and Billy Wagner to come from behind and beat the Astros in the first game 9-8, Castilla wanted a chance for redemption. For others, the long three hours and 30 minutes between games seemed like an eternity.
"The object is to win," Castilla said after his three home runs in the first game weren't enough to carry the Astros. "It doesn't make me happy to hit three home runs and lose. We lost the game and that's all I care about right now."
The Astros got their redemption in the second game, winning 12-3 to salvage a split in the doubleheader and tie the five-game series at two games apiece heading into today's finale. They moved within 3 1/2 games of the National League Central-leading Chicago Cubs with the split, but they also saw the St. Louis Cardinals creep within four games of second place. A sweep of the doubleheader would have pulled the Astros within 2 1/2 games of Chicago.
EXTRA
? Castilla's blasts fall short
In the second game, the Astros got the crucial outs when needed. Rookie righthander Tony McKnight, up from Class AAA New Orleans to make the spot start, escaped several jams while scattering nine hits and two runs in seven innings. Ron Villone, who had bailed out Roy Oswalt in the seventh inning of the first game, found himself in trouble in the second game.
With the score 8-2 -- identical to the lead the Astros gave away in the ninth inning of the opener -- Villone allowed two hits and hit one batter to load the bases with one out in the eighth. That forced Astros manager Larry Dierker to bring in Octavio Dotel, who was held out of the first game because of a tender right elbow.
Keith Osik hit an RBI grounder to first for the second out. Adam Hyzdu grounded to third to end the threat, allowing the Astros to head into the ninth with an 8-3 lead.
"It's bothering me a little," Dotel said of his elbow. "But as soon as I get loose, I'm fine. When I'm on the mound facing hitters, I don't feel nothing. I'm ready to pitch."
The Astros' offense -- which had scored one run in the second, four in the third and three in the fourth -- added four runs in the ninth to secure the split.
EXTRA
? Unlucky Seven
"As a club, we were probably lucky that it was a split doubleheader," said Jeff Bagwell, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs in the second game. "It wasn't 20 minutes and here we go again. You didn't have to dwell on it. We got to hang out a little bit and collect our thoughts and go back at it. ...
"Every time we take the field, we feel like we're going to win. We had a bad situation last year and lost a game like that in Milwaukee, but today was just one of them flukes."
Regardless, the sting of the first game's debacle endured during the wait between games.
"Truly, the hardest part after losing the first game was to have to wait in the clubhouse for another game," said Moises Alou, who was 3-for-4 in the second game. "When you lose a game like that, you want to go home and forget about it.
"It was difficult to have to wait for that second game. We knew we had to win. Last year if that had happened, you could say, `Here we go again.' This year, we're too good to lose a game like that."
Dierker's managing for a doubleheader cost the Astros in the first game, when the Pirates became only the second team in NL history to score seven runs with two outs in the ninth.
"Jackson may have been out there anyway, but Dotel had some tenderness in his elbow," Dierker said. "I didn't want to use him in both games. I was hoping I could get Jackson for the last inning and have Octavio and Billy for the second game."
Thanks in large part to Castilla's three homers, the Astros led the first game 8-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Jackson retired the side in order in the eighth and the first two of the ninth. It all broke down from there.
"That's what they mean when they say, `In baseball until you get 27 outs, it's not over,' " Castilla said.
Kevin Young started the two-out rally with a double down the left-field line, and Pat Meares added a two-run homer.
"I threw the ball over the plate and they hit it," Jackson said. "I had no slider today. I went out there and tried to get them out, but that's part of the game. It was tough to digest a game like that, especially with the Cubs losing. But you can't dwell on it."
After Hyzdu singled to left and Tike Redman walked, Jack Wilson added an RBI single to left to cut the Astros' lead to 8-5.
EXTRA
? McKnight answers the call
"It seemed like (Jackson) felt all right, but after he got the first two guys out everybody hit the ball hard," Dierker said. "He must have been throwing it down the middle."
Suddenly, Wagner had a save situation.
Wagner, who had allowed only one run over 17 1/3 innings while converting his previous 18 consecutive save opportunities, hit Jason Kendall with a pitch to load the bases.
"Kendall was the hitter that really hurt," Wagner said. "You put yourself in that situation. You bring a hitter like (Giles) up, and that's going to happen. ... When I came in, the snowball was rolling. They had a lot of momentum going, and it's tough when you come in there and they have the momentum like that. That's a tough situation."
Giles, who had robbed Castilla of a home run at the left-field wall in the fourth, ended the first game by depositing a 1-0 pitch into the right-field seats for his fourth career grand slam.
"I was just trying to put it in play and hit it hard," Giles said. "I knew it was gone."
Everybody knew it was gone. The crowd of 32,977 even appeared to anticipate the slam before Giles stepped to the plate.
"I hate to tell Billy to be careful about anything, but he could have given him a single or walked him and still been in good shape," Dierker said. "I don't think it's in his nature to pitch around somebody. That option was there if he wanted to use it, but he didn't."
As bad as that defeat appeared, Dierker didn't think it was the most shocking defeat of his career as manager. Just last year, the Astros led 9-2 in the first game of a doubleheader against Milwaukee. The Brewers scored seven runs in the ninth to send the game into extra innings before winning 10-9 in the 10th.
"This probably wasn't the worst one I've seen, but it's close," Dierker said. "I think this was not quite as bad as the last one."
Dierker might be right, but it didn't feel any better.
"It's kind of amazing," said Oswalt, who was in line for his ninth victory of the season, "especially with two outs and nobody on."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press box view
Immediately after the Astros' 9-8 loss in the first game, Billy Wagner and Mike Jackson, two of the most stand-up Astros, stood by their lockers after blowing a seven-run lead. They waited for the media. In a myopic decision by Astros public relations assistant Todd Fedewa and manager Larry Dierker, the clubhouse was closed after they originally agreed with the Pirates to open both clubhouses for 30 minutes after the first game. It's an insult to guys like Jeff Bagwell, Wagner, Jackson and Moises Alou to believe they are not professional enough to deal with the media after tough losses. Drayton McLane Jr., a great guy to the media, should remedy this situation fast.
Coming up
Wade Miller (12-5, 4.06 ERA) snapped his only two-game losing streak of the season with one of his most impressive starts of the year. In that 2-1 victory over the Cardinals on Tuesday, he scattered two hits and one run with two walks and seven strikeouts in eight innings.
Todd Ritchie (6-10) will pitch for the Pirates.
In the minors
Class AAA New Orleans -- Omar Ramirez drove in three runs and Travis Driskill pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to get his 10th victory as the New Orleans Zephyrs defeated the Oklahoma RedHawks, 7-2, in the opener of a four-game Pacific Coast League series Saturday night at Zephyr Field.
Class AA Round Rock -- Round Rock rode 12 strikeouts from lefty Carlos Hernandez, 21, to a 4-2 Texas League victory over El Paso. 1B Kevin Burns drove in a run for the fourth straight game in a row.
By the numbers
Before Saturday, the Astros had played in 13 split day-night doubleheaders, but the last one was Aug. 10, 1968, against the Pirates.
Did you know?
Before the Pirates accomplished the trick in the first game of the split day-night doubleheader against the Astros, the only National League team to score seven runs in the ninth inning with two outs and nobody on was the Cubs, who scored seven against the Reds in the first game of a doubleheader June 29, 1952. The Cubs also won that game 9-8. The American League record is nine runs.
-- JOSE DE JESUS ORTIZ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary
Taken by surprise
As an accomplished veteran, Jeff Bagwell would appreciate it if manager Larry Dierker tells him ahead of time when he will be out of the starting lineup.
For that reason, the star first baseman was upset when he walked into the visitor's clubhouse at PNC Park on Saturday morning and realized his name was not in the starting lineup for the afternoon game of the split day-night doubleheader.
"I don't know if I expect (to be told ahead of time), but I've asked for that," said Bagwell, who put on his spikes at 9:40 a.m. before realizing he wasn't starting. "For guys who are regularly in the lineup, you expect to play every day. If I was going to get rest in the first game, we don't have to come in at 9:30 in the morning. I'm here for one, so I might as well play both."
Bagwell, who was used as a pinch hitter in the first game, acknowledges it takes a toll on his body to play daily.
"But the bottom line is that I want to be out there," he said. "Do I need a day off? Yes. I got just as much emotional and physical stuff as other people do. I just don't show it sometimes."
Change of plans
When it appeared the Astros would win the first game of the split day-night doubleheader in the top of the ninth, the Pirates' public relations department announced both clubhouses would be open for 30 to 45 minutes after the first game.
The Astros, who didn't object at first because both managers agreed to open the clubhouse win or lose prior to the game, changed the rules immediately after the Pirates scored seven runs to complete the shocking 9-8 comeback.
Considering that the Astros had not played in a split day-night doubleheader since 1968, some room for error is allowed. Mike Jackson and Billy Wagner are two of the most approachable players in the Astros' clubhouse, and they were not given a chance to speak immediately after the game.
Instead, manager Larry Dierker took questions in his office, and Vinny Castilla (three home runs) and starter Roy Oswalt (no decision while allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings) were brought out to speak to the media.
In a much more demanding split day-night doubleheader last July at Shea Stadium in the afternoon and Yankee Stadium at night, the Mets opened their home clubhouse to the large media contingent immediately after losing the first game of the historic doubleheader.
Once the buses arrived at Yankee Stadium, both clubhouses were opened until 45 minutes prior to the first pitch.
Odd Mann out
As expected, reliever Jim Mann was sent down to Class AAA New Orleans after the first game of the doubleheader to make room for Tony McKnight, who started the second game after being recalled from New Orleans.
Mann was not made available to the media afterward by the Astros' public relations department. He was 0-0 with a 3.37 ERA, allowing three hits and two runs while walking two, hitting two and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings over four games.
Elarton throws
Scott Elarton, on the disabled list with a strained right biceps, threw on the side for the third consecutive day.
"It feels good," said Elarton, who expects to throw off the mound late next week.
Wasted effort
Rookie righthander Roy Oswalt, who had allowed 11 earned runs over 10 1/3 innings in his previous two starts, was denied the victory by the ninth-inning collapse in the first game. He pitched well, though, scattering seven hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Oswalt, despite pitching well, didn't pass any blame on his teammates.
"Those guys have helped me out all the time," he said.
If anything, Oswalt acknowledged he could have done better.
"I need to start going longer in the games to give the bullpen a rest," he said. "Instead of going just six, I need to go later in the game. I'm pleased with what I did when I was out there."
