| | ATLANTA -- Despite a loss to a dominant Kevin Millwood, the Houston Astros headed home Wednesday feeling pretty good.
Millwood held the Astros to one hit -- a solo home run by Ken
Caminiti in the second inning -- and the Braves went on to a 5-1 win
over Houston to knot the best-of-5 series at a game apiece.
|  | | Kevin Millwood struck out eight and didn't walk a batter in his complete-game victory. |
After dropping six of seven games to Atlanta during the regular
season, the Astros go back to Houston all tied up. They won the
opener 6-1 Tuesday on a tiebreaking homer by Daryle Ward and
Caminiti's three-run shot in the ninth.
"We're going home even," Craig Biggio said. "We came in here and got a split. We had an opportunity to go up 2-0, but the guy
pitched an unbelievable game. There's no need to hang our heads."
Another reason for the Astros confidence is the fact that since
the opening round division series was initiated in 1995, no NL team
has come back after losing the first game to win the series.
Games 3 and 4 are at the Astrodome on Friday and Saturday.
Houston's Mike Hampton (22-4) takes on Tom Glavine (13-11) in Game 3.
Jose Lima, Houston's other 20-game winner, took the loss in the
second game. He allowed four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.
"I can't complain. We played well and now we're going home,"
Lima said. "This is not over."
|
TOUGH TO HIT
|
|
The five complete-game one-hitters in postseason history (Don Larsen threw the only no-hitter, a perfect game in the 1956 World Series):
Kevin Millwood, 1999 Division Series: Millwood allowed only a second-inning home run to Ken Caminiti as he struck out eight and walked zero. Game score: 89.
Jim Lonborg, 1967 World Series: Boston's Lonborg blanked the Cardinals, allowing a two-out single in the eighth to Julian Javier. He fanned four and walked one. He also pitched a three-hitter in Game 5 but lost Game 7. Game score: 88.
Bill Bevens, 1947 World Series: The Yankees' Bevens was one out away from a no-hitter against Brooklyn, but pinch-hitter Cookie Lavagetto hit a two-run double to give Brooklyn a 3-2 victory. Bevens walked 10. Game score: 65.
Claude Passeau, 1945 World Series: Passeau pitched a one-hitter for the Cubs against the Tigers in Game 3 (one walk, one strikeout). Game score: 85.
Ed Reulbach, 1906 World Series: Reulbach allowed only a leadoff single to Jiggs Donahue as the Cubs beat the White Sox 7-1. He walked six and fanned three. Game score: 78.
|
Lima, however, was upset that Atlanta manager Bobby Cox asked the umpires to check out a dark spot on his uniform near his right thigh, questioning whether it was pine tar.
"It's dirt, not pine tar," Lima said. "I always see Biggio
and (Jeff) Bagwell and Caminiti with dirt all over them and I just
want dirt on my pants, too."
Lima watched Cox at the postgame interview session which was
shown on television the Astros clubhouse, say he asked the umpires
to check him out before the first pitch.
"I had no clue what it was," Cox said. "The last time he
pitched against us, he didn't have it."
"Yes, I did," Lima said to no one in particular as he watched.
The Astros, winners of the Central Division for the third
straight season, were swept by the Braves in three games in 1997
and lost in four games to San Diego last year.
This time, however, they've got the Braves, who have won a
record eight straight division titles, at home and can win it
there.
"We've got to feel good," Bagwell said. "We come out of here
with a win and we've got our best pitcher going for us on Friday." | |
ALSO SEE
Astros vs. Braves series page
 |
