Recap: Houston vs. Pittsburgh
Sports Network | September 08, 2008
Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Alberto Arias' spot start went as well as Houston's overall record as of late, and Mark Saccomanno hit a home run on the first pitch he saw in the big leagues, as the red-hot Astros downed Pittsburgh, 3-2, at Minute Maid Park.
Arias (1-0), making a start in place of the injured Brandon Backe, pitched five scoreless frames while scattering two hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Saccomanno pinch-hit for Arias in the bottom of the fifth frame and became the 100th player in MLB history to hit a home run in his first at- bat.
The Astros have the best record in Major League Baseball since the All-Star break at 33-16, won for the 11th time in 12 games, reached a high-water mark of 10 games over .500 and moved within five games of sliding Milwaukee in the National League wild card race.
Miguel Tejada broke a 1-for-31 stretch against Pittsburgh this season with a fifth-inning single and Lance Berkman snapped an 0-for-18 slump overall with a run-scoring hit in the fifth.
Saccomanno's solo shot broke the scoreless game in the fifth, then Michael Bourn and Darin Erstad hit back-to-back singles. Tejada and Berkman then drove them in off Ian Snell (6-11), who gave up the three runs on six hits and three walks, with nine strikeouts, in six innings.
Adam LaRoche finished 2-for-3 with a sixth-inning RBI single and Brandon Moss also singled home a run in the sixth for Pittsburgh.
Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 41st save.
Game Notes
Saccomanno, who was recalled earlier Monday from the club's Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, became the 23rd player in MLB history to hit the first pitch he ever saw for a home run. Saccomanno was also the fourth Astro to homer in his first-at, with the last being Charlton Jimmerson on September 4, 2006 against Philadelphia southpaw Cole Hamels...Tejada has a nine-game hitting streak...Valverde collected a save in his 14th straight appearance, besting Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez for the best streak this season. Rodriguez notched a save in 13 straight appearances from April 14-May 13 this season...Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson will likely miss the remainder of the season after an X-ray discovered a hairline fracture near the tip of his right index finger...Attendance 26,526.
Game Notes
Saccomanno, who was recalled earlier Monday from the club's Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock, became the 23rd player in MLB history to hit the first pitch he ever saw for a home run. Saccomanno was also the fourth Astro to homer in his first-at, with the last being Charlton Jimmerson on September 4, 2006 against Philadelphia southpaw Cole Hamels...Tejada has a nine-game hitting streak...Valverde collected a save in his 14th straight appearance, besting Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez for the best streak this season. Rodriguez notched a save in 13 straight appearances from April 14-May 13 this season...Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson will likely miss the remainder of the season after an X-ray discovered a hairline fracture near the tip of his right index finger...Attendance 26,526.
