Offensive Astros Blank Pirates Again

The Houston Astros finally are starting to play like they were supposed to all season. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Pirates, they are, too.

Mike Hampton, previously winless on the road this season and against Pittsburgh during his career, pitched the Astros back into first place in the Central by beating the Pirates, 10-0, Friday at Houston.

Derek Bell homered and drove in two runs as the Astros won their fourth in a row and shut out Pittsburgh for the second consecutive night. Darryl Kile’s six-hitter Thursday in the Astros’ 7-0 victory ended Pittsburgh’s seven-game winning streak.

The Astros have outscored Pittsburgh, 17-0, in the first two games of a four-game series matching the Central’s two top teams at the All-Star break.

“We’re working on our run differential,” Houston Manager Larry Dierker said.

Pittsburgh, which unexpectedly led the division by a game at the break, fell back into a second-place tie with St. Louis.

“We’re soon going to have to put on football helmets,” the Pirates’ Kevin Young said. “Those are a couple of football scores.”

Hampton (5-7) pitched a five-hitter for his second complete game victory in three starts. He struck out four and walked one.

He had been 0-2 with a 5.92 earned-run average in 10 appearances against the Pirates, who hadn’t lost to a left-handed starter since June 2.

New York 9, Atlanta 7--Pinch-hitter Matt Franco’s two-run double highlighted a four-run eighth inning at New York that carried the Mets to their fifth consecutive victory.

Franco, the top pinch-hitter in the majors this season, improved to 13 for 27 in that role.

“I don’t know of a secret,” Franco said. “It just a matter of getting good pitches to hit. I knew I hit it hard.”

A day after the Mets rallied against John Smoltz from a 5-1 deficit, they overcame a 5-1 deficit against Tom Glavine. New York has 24 comeback wins this season.

Cory Lidle (4-1) retired two batters in the seventh. John Franco pitched the ninth for his 22nd save, giving up a run on Andruw Jones’ groundout.

Glavine gave up 10 hits and eight runs--the second time this year he has given up that many runs.

“I think I had real good stuff,” Glavine said. “But sometimes you have good stuff and lose, and other times you don’t have good stuff and win. We can’t get caught up in crying and moaning that things are not going our way and we’re not getting the breaks. We have to go out and make things go our way.”

New York’s Edgardo Alfonzo went hitless in five at-bats, ending his 20-game hitting streak.

Chicago 7, St. Louis 1--Jeremi Gonzalez continued his mastery of the Cardinals and got all the help he needed from Sammy Sosa, who hit his 18th homer and drove in four runs at Chicago.

Gonzalez (6-2) went 7 1/3 innings, gave up one run, five hits, struck out four and walked four. It was also his fourth straight victory.

He blanked the Cardinals, 3-0, on four hits on June 23 at St. Louis in his only complete game.

“I’ve seen my videotape from the last time and saw what I threw to certain hitters,” Gonzalez said. “Today, I was throwing like my first game in St. Louis--fastball inside and slider away.”

Montreal 5, Cincinnati 2--David Segui’s two-out, two-run homer put the Expos ahead in the sixth inning, and their relievers repeatedly pitched out of bases-loaded threats to preserve a victory at Cincinnati.

Jim Bullinger (6-8) defeated the Reds for the second time this season, giving up six singles and two walks in 5 2/3 innings.

The Reds loaded the bases four times and managed only two runs, stranding 14 runners.

“We’re reverting back to what we did earlier,” Cincinnati Manager Ray Knight said. “You’re not going to win a ballgame like that. We just didn’t do it. We got 12 [hits], but none of them was big.”

Ugueth Urbina pitched out of a bases-loaded, two-out rally in the eighth by striking out Curtis Goodwin, then got the last three outs for his 16th save in 19 opportunities.

Philadelphia 13, Florida 3--Rookie Scott Rolen had three hits with five runs batted in as the Phillies ended a 13-game road losing streak with a victory over the Marlins at Miami.

The Phillies, which had lost 10 of their last 11 games, set a season high for runs with 13 and tied their season high with 15 hits off six Florida pitchers.

Philadelphia’s Curt Schilling defeated fellow All-Star right-hander Kevin Brown. Schilling (10-8) struck out 10 and walked three in six innings, the eighth time this year he has struck out 10 or more batters.

Brown (8-6) gave up five earned runs, walked two but struck out nine, just one off his season high.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Derek Bell Houston 3 for 4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs, double, home run Scott Rolen Philadelphia 3 for 4, 3 runs, 5 RBIs, home run Tony Gwynn San Diego 4 for 5, 2 runs, 3 RBIs, 2 home runs

Player Team’s Result Derek Bell Win Scott Rolen Win Tony Gwynn Loss

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Mike Hampton Houston 9 innings, 5 hits, 0 runs, 4 strikeouts Jeremi Gonzalez Chicago 7 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 4 strikeouts Curt Schilling Philadelphia 6 innings, 6 hits, 1 earned run, 10 strikeouts

Player Team’s Result Mike Hampton Win Jeremi Gonzalez Win Curt Schilling Win

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