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Friday, Sep. 8 3:20pm ET
Houston wins fourth straight game | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- Houston manager Larry Dierker didn't expect to need his closer once the Astros opened an 11-run lead. No one expected the seventh-inning strip, either. Sammy Sosa hit his major league-leading 47th home run but the Astros hung on to beat the Chicago Cubs 13-10 Friday behind solo homers by Roger Cedeno and Raul Chavez. "It wasn't a very enjoyable win," Dierker said. "Most of the time, you don't care how you do it if you just win. Today, we couldn't throw enough strikes in whatever the zone was." Sosa hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Jose Cabrera, one batter after a man ran on the field, stripped and stood on the pitching mound, making an obscene gesture. The players stood and watched in amusement while the crowd of 34,439 buzzed. Wrigley Field organist Gary Pressy played "What Kind of Fool Am I?" as the man, still naked, was escorted off the field through the stands by security guards. "He came in and asked the umpire for time out," said Sosa who was standing on deck. "It was unbelievable." "It's unfortunate that happened with kids in the stands," Cubs manager Don Baylor said. "I was not amused. But at least he wasn't a rally killer." When the Cubs were in Kansas City in July, a man ran onto the field and slid, naked, into second base. "Everybody wants to moon the Cubs," Chicago's Mark Grace said. Cedeno led off a five-run fourth with his sixth homer, a drive off Kevin Tapani (8-12), who has allowed a career-high 35 this season. Chavez hit his first major league home run in the sixth off Steve Rain. Chris Truby drove in three runs, Mitch Meluskey drove in two and Julio Lugo had a career-high five hits for the Astros, who won their fourth straight. Wade Miller (5-5) won his third straight start, giving up five runs. five hits and four walks over 5 1-3 innings. Backed by an 11-0 lead, he was chased after giving up three home runs in the sixth -- a leadoff drive by Ricky Gutierrez, a three-homer by Damon Buford and a solo homer by Willie Greene. "There's no way you should be bringing in your closer after being up by that many," Houston's Jeff Bagwell said. "We only had one hit in the first five innings and then we come back -- that's a good sign," Sosa said. "A lot of people would give up. We went up there and we were fighting." Baylor wasn't too pleased to be in a deep hole, though. Houston outhit the Cubs 20-10. "It was just too much to overcome," Baylor said. Tapani, who lost his third straight decision, gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1-3 innings. Chicago has lost seven of its last eight games. "I just pitched bad," said Tapani, who will meet with Baylor to decide whether to shut down for the rest of the season. "Every fastball I threw was up in the zone. It just wasn't too good." Richard Hidalgo hit a three-run double in the first, giving him 100 RBI for the first time in his career. Hidalgo then scored on Meluskey's single. Truby hit a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 5-0. After Cedeno homered in the fourth and Jeff Bagwell singled with one out, Hidalgo singled of Jamie Arnold, and Meluskey and Truby hit two-out RBI singles, and Miller hit a two-run single. After the Cubs' five-run sixth and three-run seventh made it 11-8, the Astros added two runs in the eighth on a run-scoring wild pitch by Jerry Spradlin, signed before the game, and a sacrifice fly by Truby. Julio Zuleta hit a two-run double in the eighth to make it 13-10. Octavio Dotel relieved with two on and one out in the ninth and finished for his 12th save in 15 chances. Game notesThe stripper was identified as James Short, 43, of Deerfield, Ill., and he was charged with criminal trespass and indecent exposure, a Chicago police spokesman said. ... Tapani's previous career high was 34 homers allowed, set in 1996 with the White Sox. ... Alou left after three innings with a strained right hamstring. His status was day to day. Meluskey left after four innings because of flu-like symptoms. ... Hidalgo has nearly doubled his previous RBI high of 56, set last year. ... Chicago 2B Eric Young singled in the third to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Cubs RHP Jon Lieber will start Sunday in place of LHP Daniel Garibay. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Houston Clubhouse Chicago Cubs Clubhouse RECAPS NY Yankees 4 Boston 0
Houston 13
Pittsburgh 3
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