Astros Take Their Hits to Beat Royals

After a 36-minute first inning that included two ejections, three hit batters and an injury, the Houston Astros’ offense really got going Sunday at Kansas City.

Jeff Bagwell and Mendy Lopez each hit three-run home runs, and Lance Berkman and Moises Alou, the National League’s top two batters, extended hitting streaks as the Astros defeated the Royals, 14-5.

The Royals have lost seven consecutive games, their longest drought since a nine-game streak April 14-23, 2000.

The Astros’ run total was their highest this season.

Bagwell, who drove in seven runs Saturday, hit a full-count pitch from Chad Durbin (6-8) over the right-field fence in the third inning for his 21st home run. Lopez, a former Royal, homered in the eighth.

Berkman had three hits in six at-bats to raise his league-leading average to .365. His 21-game hitting streak is the longest in the National League this season. Alou, second in the league with a .362 average, had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 16 games.

The game opened with Durbin hitting Craig Biggio and Julio Lugo, who both eventually came around to score to make it 2-0. Umpire Jeff Nelson issued a warning to both dugouts after Lugo was hit.

Also in the first, a sliding Bagwell upended Kansas City second baseman Donnie Sadler, who left the game with blurred vision and dizziness.

Sadler was taken to a hospital for observation, and the Royals said he should be able to play after the All-Star break. The Royals said Bagwell’s slide was clean.

In the bottom half of the inning, Astro starter Scott Elarton hit leadoff hitter Rey Sanchez--who came in to replace Sadler--with his fifth pitch.

Elarton and Astro Manager Larry Dierker were ejected.

“It’s just ridiculous. There’s no reason for it and it’s just frustrating,” Elarton said.

“If I was going out to hit anybody, it would obviously be the first pitch. [Sanchez] fouled off two pitches on the outer part of the plate. He’s the kind of guy who likes the ball out over the plate. So, really the logical pitch is a fastball in. It got away from me a little bit, but it was clearly unintentional. I think it hit him on the belt.”

Biggio said Durbin was not throwing at anybody.

“Things just happen,” Biggio said. “He definitely doesn’t want to hit the first two guys he faces. It’s a freak thing that happened.”

Minnesota 7, Cincinnati 1--Brad Radke pitched his fifth complete game of the season to help the Twins complete a three-game sweep at the Metrodome.

Radke (10-4) tied Arizona’s Curt Schilling for the major league lead in complete games. He gave up three hits, retired the final 20 batters he faced, and did not walk a batter for the fourth consecutive game.

Atlanta 8, Boston 0--Tom Glavine pitched seven shutout innings at Fenway Park to win for the first time since June 3 at Pittsburgh. He gave up three hits in pacing the Braves to their 12th victory in the last 16 games.

Glavine (7-5), winless in his previous six starts, gave up a first-inning single to Trot Nixon, then retired 16 of the next 17 hitters before giving up back-to-back singles to start the seventh inning.

St. Louis 4, Cleveland 3--Edgar Renteria did it to the Indians again, this time hitting a run-scoring single with one out in the ninth inning off John Rocker at Jacobs Field.

Renteria, who singled home Florida’s winning run in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 1997 World Series against the Indians, drove in Eli Marrero from second base as the Cardinals salvaged the series finale.

Philadelphia 5, Baltimore 4--Travis Lee hit his second game-winning homer in three games, a three-run shot with two out in the top of the ninth inning that enabled the Phillies to reach the All-Star break in sole possession of first place in the National League East, one game ahead of Atlanta.

Florida 6, Tampa Bay 1--Ryan Dempster tied a club record with his 10th victory before the break, yielding four hits in eight innings at St. Petersburg, Fla. The loss for the Devil Rays (27-61) matched the 1962 Cubs (35-61) for the second-most losses before the break. The 1962 Mets hold the record with 66.

San Diego 11, Texas 2--Woody Williams won for the first time in nine starts and Phil Nevin had a homer and four RBIs at San Diego as the Padres, who won two of three from the Rangers, head into the break having won four of their last five series.

Chicago White Sox 9, Pittsburgh 2--Jose Canseco hit two home runs and Sean Lowe scattered six hits over eight innings at Chicago to help the White Sox complete a 4-6 homestand.

Toronto 9, Montreal 3--Raul Mondesi drove in three runs and rookie Cesar Izturis singled, doubled and had a run-scoring triple at Toronto as the Blue Jays improved to 16-9 against their Canadian counterparts.

Detroit 9, Chicago Cubs 6--Juan Encarnacion drove in three runs at Detroit, including the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, as the Tigers overcame Sammy Sosa’s two two-run homers.