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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
HOUSTON (AP) – Daryle Ward stepped in for the Houston Astros on
Opening Day and had the best game of his young career.
|  | | Astros second baseman Craig Biggio is batting 1.000 in his first game since offseason knee surgery. |
Ward, subbing for injured outfielder Moises Alou, hit his first
career grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs Tuesday in
the Houston Astros' 11-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
"I had butterflies in my first at-bat, and then they went
away," Ward said. "I came up there with the bases loaded and they
came back. Then I hit the home run, and they went away again."
Ward, who has just over a year of major league service, hit 20
home runs in a part-time role last season. He got the Astros off to
a good start with a big third inning off Jimmy Haynes, who threw
Ward a hanging curve on the first pitch.
"That first pitch was a breaking ball, and when it is hanging
you just have to stay there and wait and hit it," Ward said. "I
was able to do that and I drove it out of the ballpark."
Craig Biggio, returning from offseason knee surgery, went
5-for-5 and tied an Astros record.
"I'm not going to bore you with how much work it was coming
back, but it was a lot of work," Biggio said. "It's (knee) not
going to be perfect until the end of the year, but it's good enough
to work. That's all that counts."
Ward's homer, which keyed a six-run third inning, was only the
second Opening-Day grand slam in Astros history. Richard Hidalgo
hit one last April 4 at Pittsburgh.
Ward added a two-run single off Ray King in the seventh, leaving
him one RBI short of the club record.
The Opening Day crowd of 36,526 was short of a capacity of
40,950, but they demanded a curtain call from Ward after his grand
slam.
"It was all silent to me," Ward said. "My teammates had to
help me out. They said, 'Curtain call. Curtain call.' I love the
fans here. It was fun."
Alou was placed on the disabled list Monday with a strained
right calf.
Haynes, the loser, gave up singles to Julio Lugo and Biggio,
walked Jeff Bagwell and hit Lance Berkman to force home the first
run. After Hidalgo popped out, Ward hit the first pitch out. Chris
Truby added a solo homer in the inning.
Haynes allowed eight runs and six hits in six innings. He took
full credit for Ward's homer.
"He shouldn't have missed it. It was hanging about
letter-high," Haynes said. "It was a bad day. As soon as he hit
it, I asked for another ball because I knew he had hit it. That's
not the way I wanted to start the season."
Winner Scott Elarton, who went 17-7 for the Astros last season,
gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings and struck out five.
He started in place of Shane Reynolds, who is on the disabled list
recovering from knee surgery and had started every opener since
1995.
"I felt I could have pitched another inning, but it was so
emotional on opening night that I was probably mentally tired,"
Elarton said. "I'll go out there until they pull me off the mound
but it was probably good they took me out."
Hidalgo, who has a hip injury but avoided the disabled list, hit
a two-run triple in the first.
Biggio singled and took second on right fielder Jeromy Burnitz's
fielding error, and Berkman reached on a fielder's choice. Hidalgo
followed with a hit that fell just below the 404-foot sign in
left-center field.
Hidalgo added an RBI double in the seventh, and Ward's two-run
single gave the Astros a 11-2 lead.
Milwaukee scored its runs on Ron Belliard's RBI single in the
third, and solo homers by Jose Hernandez and Burnitz, the latter
off Jay Powell.
"He (Haynes) gave up two bombs on hanging breaking balls,"
Brewers manager Davey Lopes said. "That was the difference. You
make mistakes against guys who hit like Houston does and they will
make you pay."
Game notes
Four home runs were hit at Enron Field, where a major
league-leading 266 were hit last season. ... Paul Rigdon is to make
his second career start against the Astros on Wednesday. ... Haynes
had a career-best 12 victories with the Brewers last season, but
also recorded a career-high 13 losses.
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RECAPS
Minnesota 3
Detroit 2
Texas 3
Anaheim 2
Tampa Bay 8
Toronto 1
Oakland 5
Seattle 1
NY Mets 6
Atlanta 4
Houston 11
Milwaukee 3
Cincinnati 3
Pittsburgh 2
Philadelphia 4
Florida 3
Arizona 3
Los Angeles 2
AUDIO/VIDEO
 A modest Craig Biggio was pleased with the team's performance against the Brewers.
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