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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CHICAGO (AP) -- When Tony Eusebio left the dugout to pinch-hit in
the 12th inning, all he was supposed to do was get the ball in the
air and move the runner over.
|  | | The Cubs' Ron Coomer laces a two-run double in the seventh inning. |
He did one better than that, hitting a two-run homer to give the
Houston Astros a 9-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday
night.
"You have to appreciate it because of the kind of game it
was," said Eusebio, who has four pinch-hit homers in his career.
"It's not easy not playing every day but still having to have your
head in the game."
The Astros got a big night for someone else who hasn't been in
the game much. Vinny Castilla, who signed a one-year deal earlier
in the day after being released by Tampa Bay, homered and drove in
another run.
Castilla also scored three and finished 3-for-5 with a walk.
"I had butterflies," Castilla admitted. "I just want to go
out and do my best every day. The important thing is we won the
game."
Chicago wasted Ron Coomer's best effort as a Cub. Coomer had
four RBI, including a two-run homer, and Sammy Sosa hit his 399th
career home run.
But it wasn't enough for the Cubs, who have lost a season-high
five straight. After leading the NL Central for a month, the Cubs
are now 1 1/2 games back.
"It's disappointing," Coomer said. "We wanted to win this
game. We were close, we had some chances and we didn't win. We've
got to win tomorrow, that's it."
Mike Jackson (1-1) held the Cubs to one hit in two innings for
his first victory since July 10, 1999. Nelson Cruz pitched the 12th
for his first save. Todd Van Poppel (1-1) gave up two runs and four
hits in three innings.
Coomer, who signed with the Cubs as a free agent during the
offseason after playing his first six seasons in Minnesota, gave
the Cubs a 7-6 lead in the seventh inning with a two-run double.
The Cubs were one out from the win when Moises Alou singled off
Tom Gordon. Pinch-runner Glen Barker then stole second, and scored
on Richard Hidalgo's double to deep left field to tie the game.
It was the first run allowed by Gordon, who's pitched five
innings. It was also his first blown save since 1999.
"It was a good pitch and he hung in there. There's nothing I
can say," Gordon said. "It was just a night I got beat."
The Astros blew chances to win it in the 10th and 11th,
stranding runners at third both times, before Eusebio finally came
through. Castilla led off with a double, taking third on Brad
Ausmus' sacrifice.
Eusebio, pinch-hitting for Jackson, put a 2-2 pitch into the
backdrop for the game-winning runs. It was his fourth career
pinch-homer, his first since April 5, 1996.
"We have a lot of confidence in Tony as a hitter.
Unfortunately, we don't see it too often because he's our second
catcher," Astros manager Larry Dierker said. "If we had three,
he'd pinch-hit more often."
The victory was some good news for Houston, which announced
during the game that infielder Bill Spiers will have surgery
Wednesday to relieve pressure on a nerve in his lower back. It's
not known if Spiers will return this year, or whether the operation
will relieve his chronic back problems.
Spiers, who has degenerative discs, hasn't played since April 8.
"I don't know if I'm relieved," Astros general manager Gerry
Hunsicker said. "I'm glad we've found the case of the leg pain,
but it doesn't change the fact he's got a degenerative disc
problem.
"It's still undetermined whether this particular operation will
be a long-term cure for his back problems."
Game notes
It was Coomer's fourth four-RBI game of his career. His
career high is seven RBI. ... With 399 homers, Sosa is tied with
Al Kaline for 33rd place on the career list. ... The Astros are the
only club who have yet to play a team from the West Division.
Houston is host to San Diego next week. ... "Survivor" alum Susan
Hawk was the guest conductor for the seventh-inning stretch -- and
was loudly booed. Some fans even resang "Take Me Out to the Ball
Game" after she finished.
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RECAPS
Baltimore 11
Detroit 3
Kansas City 6
Tampa Bay 2
Boston 5
Minnesota 2
Cleveland 8
Texas 6
Toronto 9
Anaheim 3
Oakland 3
NY Yankees 2
Seattle 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 1
San Francisco 7
Florida 4
Montreal 2
Los Angeles 0
Milwaukee 14
Philadelphia 10
St. Louis 8
Pittsburgh 3
NY Mets 1
San Diego 0
Atlanta 5
Colorado 3
Houston 9
Chicago Cubs 7
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