Trade Keeps Paying Off, 4-3

Gary Sheffield homered leading off the 10th inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Houston Astros 4-3 Monday after wasting a three-run lead.

Sheffield, who connected off Bob Scanlan (0-1), is 15-for-32 (.469) with two homers and nine RBIs since the Dodgers acquired him from Florida as part of the Mike Piazza trade on May 15.

Jim Bruske (1-0) pitched one scoreless inning, and Scott Radinsky got three outs for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Houston stranded 16 runners, including nine in the first three innings.

Hideo Nomo, winless in five starts since April 28, had control problems but still went 6 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and eight hits. He also tied a career-high with seven walks.

Jose Lima gave up three runs, 10 hits and four walks in seven innings.

Jose Vizcaino put Los Angeles ahead with a two-run homer in the first after Eric Young’s leadoff walk, a drive just inside the right-field foul pole. Tom Prince added an RBI single in the fourth.

The Astros pulled to 3-2 in the fourth when Craig Biggio led off with an infield single, Bill Spiers doubled him home and Moises Alou hit an RBI single.

Nomo retired eight straight before Alou walked leading off the seventh. Singles by Dave Clark and Ricky Gutierrez scored him.