Alou Reminds Expos of the Good Old Days

Moises Alou is the latest former Expo to shine in Montreal.

Alou homered and drove in five runs, and Carl Everett homered from both sides of the plate Friday night to lead the Houston Astros over the Expos, 8-4, at Montreal.

Alou had a two-run single in the first off Marc Valdes (0-3) and a three-run homer off Rick DeHart in the third, putting Houston ahead, 6-1.

“It was a big night,” Alou said. “It could have been bigger. I shut it down after my first two at-bats. I kind of lost my concentration after that. I don’t know what I was thinking about.”

Alou went two for five, striking out in each of his last three at-bats.

Everett followed Alou’s homer with his second home run. DeHart had relieved Valdes with the bases loaded and no out.

Batting from the left side, Everett homered off Miguel Batista leading off the fifth for an 8-1 lead. It was the second time Everett homered from both sides in one game; the other was for the New York Mets against the Chicago Cubs on April 20, 1997.

“When you get in there you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to help the team win,” Everett said. “So far I’ve been seeing the ball well and I’m taking advantage of it.”

Jose Lima (3-1) gave up two runs--one earned--and nine hits in seven innings, struck out seven and walked one.

Valdes was pounded for five runs and three hits in two-plus innings. He walked three, and his earned-run average ballooned to 10.38.

New York 3, Cincinnati 2--Bobby Jones won for the first time in four starts and Butch Huskey drove in the go-ahead run as the Mets erased an eighth-inning deficit at New York.

Jones (1-2) was the Mets’ ace last season, going 15-9, but was winless in his first three starts this year. He gave up two runs and five hits in eight innings. After New York took the lead, John Franco finished for his fifth save.

With Cincinnati ahead, 2-1, Red starter Mike Remlinger walked Tim Spehr opening the eighth. Jeff Shaw (0-2) relieved with one out and gave up a single to pinch-hitter Rich Becker that moved the tying run to third.

Edgardo Alfonzo singled, Bernard Gilkey was intentionally walked and Huskey hit a grounder to second that put the Mets ahead.

Atlanta 6, Arizona 5--Javy Lopez hit a two-run homer and then doubled home the winning run in the ninth inning at Atlanta.

With the score 5-5, Chipper Jones singled off Russ Springer (1-1) leading of the ninth, his fourth hit. Andres Galarraga walked and Lopez hit a liner into the left-field corner, giving Atlanta four consecutive wins and nine in their last 10 games.

Philadelphia 8, St. Louis 4--Desi Relaford and Rico Brogna drove in two runs apiece in a seven-run fifth inning at Philadelphia.

The Phillies’ fifth off Kent Mercker (2-1) was their biggest this season, and included a season-high six hits--all singles--and two walks.

Matt Whiteside (1-1) replaced starter Mike Grace in the fourth and pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win.

Florida 5, Colorado 1--Rookie Brian Meadows won his third consecutive start, scattering nine hits at Miami in Florida’s first complete game of the season.

Cliff Floyd had three hits for Florida, which has won four of its last five home games. Colorado, which dropped to 8-15, has lost six of eight and 14 of 18.

Meadows (3-2), who never pitched above double-A before this season, has half of the wins by Marlin starters this year. He struck out five and walked one in his first complete game in five career starts, lowering his ERA to 2.48. He needed only 111 pitches.

Colorado starter Mark Thompson (1-2) left after Craig Counsell’s double in the fourth because of weakness in his surgically repaired right shoulder.

Pittsburgh 4, San Diego 2--Jason Kendall hit a two-run double then scored acrobatically, and Al Martin homered as the Pirates handed the Padres their first home loss.

The Padres, who swept their season opening seven-game homestand, had won two straight and 13 of 15, including two at Pittsburgh last weekend. It was only the fifth loss for San Diego.

With the Padres leading, 1-0, Pete Smith (1-2) walked Tony Womack leading off the sixth and gave up a hit-and-run single by Martin. Kendall drove in both runners when he doubled to right-center.

Kendall took third on Kevin Young’s groundout and headed for home on Turner Ward’s grounder to first baseman Mark Sweeney. Sweeney threw to catcher Carlos Hernandez. Kendall hesitated about 10 feet from the plate, then leaped over Hernandez, touching the plate with his right hand.