Bagwell Is the Star in Astros’ Victory

Hitting for the cycle was enough for Jeff Bagwell. He didn’t need a souvenir.

Bagwell achieved the cycle for the first time in his career, homering and doubling in an eight-run fifth inning Wednesday night as the Houston Astros out-slugged the St. Louis Cardinals, 17-11, in the highest-scoring game at Houston’s Enron Field.

Bagwell drove in five runs. He became the first Astro to hit for the cycle since Andujar Cedeno on Aug. 25, 1992, against the Cardinals.

Bagwell’s triple in the seventh inning gave him the cycle. But when the Astros retrieved the ball in the dugout moments later, Bagwell said no thanks.

“It’s cool,” Bagwell said. “But it’s not something I put much stock into. I didn’t need the ball. Stuff like that doesn’t mean that much to me.

“I’ve been around too long to get too high about one game. Because I know tomorrow I can be on the other end.”

Bagwell said he kept his 300th home run ball and 1,000th run batted in ball from last year, but he’s not sure where they are in his cluttered locker.

Bagwell was surprised the team tried to get this ball.

“They were trying to stop the game and I just said, ‘Don’t,’ ” Bagwell said. “What am I going to say, this is my first cycle? It’s not something I take a ball for.”

Brad Ausmus and Craig Biggio homered for Houston.

Mark McGwire and Albert Pujols hit home runs for the Cardinals.

New York 4, Florida 3--Tsuyoshi Shinjo doubled home Joe McEwing in the 11th inning at New York as the Mets extended their season-best winning streak to five games.

The Mets are 6-1 since the All-Star game. The Marlins had their three-game winning streak ended.

Chicago 6, Pittsburgh 5--Eric Young’s bloop double capped a two-run rally in the ninth inning at Pittsburgh and the Cubs overcame Craig Wilson’s fifth pinch-hit homer this season.

The Pirates took a 5-4 lead in the seventh on Wilson’s fifth homer in 19 pinch-hit at-bats, this one against Kyle Farnsworth. But closer Mike Williams, who had blown only one save in 20 chances, couldn’t hold the lead.

Montreal 7, Philadelphia 6--Vladimir Guerrero hit his second home run of the game, connecting with one out in the ninth to lift the Expos at Montreal.

The Phillies lost their third in a row. They tied the score in the ninth on pinch-hitter Johnny Estrada’s three-run homer against Ugueth Urbina (1-1).

Atlanta 3, Cincinnati 1--Tom Glavine pitched well and Keith Lockhart hit a three-run homer that sent the Braves to a rain-shortened victory at Cincinnati.

The game was called in the middle of the eighth after heavy rain halted play and continued unabated for 87 minutes.

Glavine (9-5) gave up 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings and improved to 15-5 at Cinergy Field.

Arizona at San Diego--The game was suspended because of an explosion in a light tower at Qualcomm Stadium and will resume today with Arizona leading, 1-0, in the third inning. Today’s regularly scheduled game will follow.