Astros Win One-Run Game in 13th Try

It took an extra inning, but the Houston Astros finally won a one-run game.

Bill Spiers’ RBI single in the 10th inning gave the Astros their first win in 13 one-run games this season, 5-4 over the Atlanta Braves Friday night at Houston.

The Astros rallied to win after close Billy Wagner blew his sixth save in 10 chances by giving up an RBI single to Trenidad Hubbard in the ninth inning. Houston had lost 14 consecutive one-run games since beating St. Louis, 4-3, on Sept. 19.

“We’ve been on the other end all year with these one-run games,” Spiers said. “This is a good feeling. I hope it jump-starts us. This has been unreal and unusual.”

Moises Alou led off the 10th inning with a walk off Rudy Seanez (2-2). One out later, pinch-hitter Daryle Ward hit a bloop single to left. With two outs, Spiers lined a single to center to win the game.

Cincinnati 3, Florida 2--Aaron Boone homered in the ninth inning on the first pitch by reliever Dan Miceli at Cincinnati as the Reds handed the Marlins their eighth consecutiveloss.

“I was actually thinking about taking a pitch,” Boone said. “I’d swung at the first pitch in the previous at-bat and hit a little looper, but I just said, ‘Get a good pitch and get a good swing at it.’ ”

Danny Graves give up only one hit in the ninth inning and became the first Reds pitcher to start a season 7-0 since Ron Robinson in 1986. Cincinnati won its 11th consecutive game over the Marlins at home since Sept. 23, 1997.

Miceli (3-2), the Marlins’ fourth pitcher, had not allowed a run in six consecutive appearances.

Arizona 9, Milwaukee 2--Randy Johnson ended a streak of disappointing performances by pitching seven scoreless innings for Diamondbacks at Phoenix.

Johnson (8-1), who had two no-decisions and a loss in three starts since beating San Diego on May 5, also went two for four with an RBI and a run scored.

New York 5, St. Louis 2--Robin Ventura broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run, bases-loaded single at St. Louis as the Mets ended the Cardinals’ winning streak at five.

Jim Edmonds hit his third homer in four games.

Pittsburgh 2, Colorado 1--Francisco Cordova pitched eight strong innings at Denver and drove in the go-ahead run with his first hit of the season for the Pirates. Mike Benjamin, hitting .412 over his last 11 games, had two hits to help the Pirates end a losing streak at five.

San Francisco 5, Chicago 3--Mark Gardner came within two outs of his first shutout in nearly two years and Ellis Burks had three hits and three RBIs as the Giants beat the Cubs at San Francisco.

San Diego 6, Montreal 2--Tony Gwynn doubled twice and Hideki Irabu lost in his first game at San Diego as the Padres rallied past the Expos.

Gwynn, who left in the fifth inning Wednesday night when he stumbled when legging out a double, was two for three with two runs scored. With 529 doubles, he tied Al Oliver for 23rd on the career list.

Padre starter Sterling Hitchcock left in the fifth inning after straining his left elbow.