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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
HOUSTON (AP) – The Pittsburgh Pirates figured they were bound to
win at Enron Field – eventually.
|  | | Enrique Wilson slides into third safely, just as his Pirates ended their slide at Enron Field. |
Pat Meares homered and drove in three runs to give the Pirates
their first win at Houston's ballpark, 5-3 over the Astros on
Saturday.
The Astros were the last unbeaten team in the NL, having won
their first four games.
Jason Kendall also homered as the Pirates ended their 0-8 skid
at Enron. They lost all seven games at Houston last year and fell
Friday night to the Astros.
"It feels good to get one here," manager Lloyd McClendon said.
"But it was just a matter of time. The odds were in our favor."
Still, Meares was wondering when it would happen.
"We got beat up here last year," he said. "It seemed like we
were giving up double-digit runs every game. Today the balls
dropped in for us. Bronson (Arroyo) did a great job against their
lineup today."
McClendon also praised Arroyo (1-0) who went five innings,
allowing three runs and five hits.
"He was outstanding," McClendon said. "He was hitting his
spots and showed a lot of moxie and poise in clutch situations. He
kept us in the game.
"Our pitching has been outstanding so far. Our young guys have
really stepped up and kept us in all these games. The two games
here at Enron have been remarkable, especially considering our
past."
Arroyo struck out five, walked four and hit two batters.
"I battled out there," he said. "It was a tough game and I
got a lot of deep counts. I was trying to get inside early."
"It feels good to get a win here. Last year our pitching staff
didn't do too well. You've got that close wall in left field and
they have a great lineup," he said.
The Astros also were impressed by Arroyo.
"We just didn't hit," manager Larry Dierker said. "More often
than not, when we hold teams to five runs here, we're usually going
to win. But even the hits we had weren't hit sharply."
Jeff Bagwell slipped to a .100 average (2-for-20) but said he
isn't worried.
"This isn't my first rodeo," he said. "I was 1-for-10 at the
start of last year. I've started slowly a lot but as long as I'm
healthy, everything will work out fine."
Mike Williams pitched the ninth for his first save.
Kent Bottenfield (0-1) pitched five innings and gave up four
runs and nine hits.
Lance Berkman's bases-loaded single drove in Julio Lugo and
Craig Biggio to give Houston a 2-0 lead in the third.
The Pirates tied it on Meares' two-run homer in the fourth. In
the bottom half, Lugo hit an RBI single for a 3-2 edge.
The Pirates tied it again in the fifth on Kendall's first home
run of the season.
Pittsburgh took the lead in the sixth when Meares singled in
John Vander Wal. Meares finished with three hits.
Pinch-hitter Emil Brown's double to the right-field corner drove
in Vander Wal in the eighth.
Game notes
OF Moises Alou went through water therapy to help his
strained right calf injury. The Astros believe he is improving well
enough that he should be able to return to the lineup when he is
eligible to come off the disabled list April 13. ... Astros RHP
Shane Reynolds will make his second rehab appearance when he starts
for Triple-A New Orleans at Colorado Springs on Sunday ... LHP Joe
Beimel will get his first major league start Sunday for the
Pirates. ... Pittsburgh hasn't had a winning month of April since
going 12-10 in 1994.
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RECAPS
Baltimore 4
Cleveland 2
Toronto 3
NY Yankees 2
Detroit 5
Chi. White Sox 3
Kansas City 5
Minnesota 3
Oakland 4
Anaheim 2
Boston 6
Tampa Bay 2
Seattle 6
Texas 5
Chicago Cubs 8
Philadelphia 4
Milwaukee 6
Cincinnati 1
Montreal 10
NY Mets 0
Pittsburgh 5
Houston 3
San Diego 14
Colorado 10
St. Louis 8
Arizona 4
Florida 8
Atlanta 0
Los Angeles 10
San Francisco 4
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