VERO BEACH, Fla. (AP) _ Moises Alou returned with a bang.

Playing in his first game in 17 months, Alou homered on the first pitch he saw Friday as the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in the exhibition opener for both teams.

Leading off the second, Alou drove a fastball from loser Mike Judd over the right-center field fence, the first of four Houston homers.

Alou, who hit .312 with 38 homers and 124 RBIs with the Astros in 1998, missed all of last year after falling off a treadmill and tearing the interior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He had surgery exactly a year ago Friday.

``Like I told Baggy on the ride here, it was a special day for me today,'' Alou said, referring to teammate Jeff Bagwell. ``A year ago, I was in surgery.

``I look back on all the hard work I did in the offseason, it paid off. I've been swinging the bat pretty good this spring. My knee feels good. I am satisfied with the results so far, maybe a little surprised.''

Astros manager Larry Dierker said he wasn't surprised at all.

``He's been hitting the ball like that all spring,'' Dierker said. ``He hit a couple of home runs in intrasquad games. It looks like he's ready.''

Alou wasn't originally scheduled to make the trip to Holman Stadium from Kissimmee, Fla., where the Astros train, for the game.

``But he wanted to come, he wanted to break the ice,'' Dierker said.

Alou also struck out twice before leaving in the fifth.

Marc Sagmoen, pinch hitting for winner Jose Lima, had a two-out, two-run homer off Judd later in the second to break a 1-1 tie.

Julio Lugo homered in the seventh off Maximo Nunez; Lance Berkman homered in the eighth off Dan Naulty, and Lugo hit an RBI single in the ninth off Chad Ricketts for Houston's other runs.

Mark Grudzielanek, playing his first game at second base, doubled twice and scored both Los Angeles runs. Shawn Green, in his first game as a Dodger, hit the second pitch he saw for an RBI single off Lima in the first, and Gary Sheffield singled off Octavio Dotel to drive in Grudzielanek in the third.

Grudzielanek, moved from shortstop this spring, also made a smooth pivot in turning a double play in the second, and made a perfect flip to shortstop Alex Cora on a potential double play ball in the third, but Cora dropped the throw for an error.

``Not a bad day,'' Grudzielanek said. ``I felt winded, my legs were dead. I felt the same way last year.''

Asked if he felt comfortable at second base, Grudzielanek smiled and said, ``Not yet, should I feel comfortable? It takes time, it's coming.''

Green, acquired by the Dodgers from Toronto last November, said he was just trying to make contact, ``not embarrass myself out there. It felt great to get a hit.''

Hall of Famer Ted Williams attended the game, and got a standing ovation from the crowd of 3,327 when introduced after the first inning.