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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Houston Astros' biggest worry when they
oppose Francisco Cordova isn't necessarily winning. More often,
they are just as concerned with merely getting a hit.
Cordova, who teamed with Ricardo Rincon for the only two-pitcher
extra-inning no-hitter in major league history in 1997, kept
Houston hitless again for 7 1/3 innings before yielding two hits in
the eighth inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 10-1 romp Thursday.
|  | | Pittsburgh's Francisco Cordova kept the Astros hitless for 7 1/3 innings. |
The Astros didn't have anything resembling a hit off Cordova
(1-0) until rookie catcher Mitch Meluskey doubled off the
center-field wall with one out in the eighth.
"He must salivate every time we come in," Jeff Bagwell said of
Cordova, who has a string of low-hit games against Houston. "He'll
probably send a limo every time we're in town."
In addition to the 1997 no-hitter, Cordova also pitched a
two-hitter against Houston that season.
"He's pitched a lot of great games against us," Bagwell said.
"He kept the ball down, he changed speeds. We stuck five
left-handed hitters in there against him and still didn't do too
much."
The Pirates' offense finally did after being outscored 16-5 in
the first two games of the season. Brian Giles went a career-high
5-for-5 with two solo homers and a triple, missing only a double
for the cycle.
Until the eighth inning, the scenario seemed eerily similar to
the Cordova-Rincon 10-inning no-hitter of July 12, 1997, against
Houston, a 3-0 Pirates victory ended by Mark Smith's pinch-hit
three-run homer.
Just as then, the Astros were the opponent and, just as then,
Chris Holt was the opposing pitcher. Holt lasted five innings
Thursday, allowing Giles' two homers.
But history didn't repeat itself as Meluskey doubled for only
his third career extra-base hit and Tim Bogar ended the shutout bid
with an RBI double down the left-field line.
"I was thinking to myself, just make him get the ball up,"
Meluskey said. "Usually he likes to get that sinker down ... I saw
it was up, I swung and, luckily, got a good part of the bat on
it."
Cordova's performance -- two hits, seven strikeouts, three walks
-- wasn't surprising considering he is 6-2 lifetime against the
Astros.
But Cordova was 0-5 in his final eight starts last season,
spending time on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. He
also was inconsistent in spring training, allowing nine runs in an
11-4 loss to Montreal in his final spring start Saturday.
"But he was changing speeds and, when you're a catcher, it's
fun to work like that, keeping the hitters guessing," catcher
Jason Kendall said. "When a pitcher gets in a groove like that,
it's fun."
Cordova, a native of Mexico, feels much healthier than a year
ago, when he went on the disabled list after two starts.
"I feel strong and a lot more comfortable," Cordova said,
speaking through interpreter Jose Silva, who pitched the ninth
inning. "I feel a lot better than last year. I wasn't tired when
they took me out."
Giles' two homers off Holt (0-1) -- the only two runs allowed by
Holt in 14 2/3 innings at Three Rivers Stadium -- made it 2-0. The
Pirates added two runs in the sixth against Jose Cabrera on Pat
Meares' RBI double and Giles' run-scoring single, then added four
more runs in the final two innings against relievers Yorkis Perez
and Mike Maddux.
"When your pitcher is throwing like that, it takes the pressure
off the offense," Giles said.
It was obvious from the start that Cordova had excellent
movement and location on his pitches, even while walking three in
the first two innings. The hitters were constantly out in front of
his pitches, mostly sliders and changeups.
"You could sense it, the way they were swinging and missing at
pitches out of the strike zone, that he had it going on," Giles
said. "That's a good hitting team over there."
Cordova got Jeff Bagwell to ground into a double play to get out
of the first, then eluded trouble in the second with the help of
two heady plays by Kendall.
Kendall alertly tagged out Moises Alou on a ball that bounced in
front of the plate that Alou thought was foul. Kendall then threw
out Daryle Ward at second as he tried to advance on a passed ball
that moved Ken Caminiti to third.
Game notes
Pirates pitchers walked 16 in the series. ... The Pirates
signed RHP Brad Clontz, recently released by Arizona, to a minor
league contract. Clontz pitched in 56 games for them last season.
... Kendall's stolen base in the sixth was his first since
returning from his ankle injury. ... CF Roger Cedeno made his
Astros debut after sitting out the first two games with a sore
elbow. ... Craig Biggio, a .133 career hitter against Cordova, did
not start as Bill Spiers made his third start of the series at a
different position. He played left field Tuesday, shortstop
Wednesday and second base Thursday. ... Pirates 3B Aramis Ramirez
had five consecutive hits over two games until lining out to right
field in the sixth. ... After two consecutive days of cold weather,
the gametime temperature was 66, with wind gusts of 35 mph. ...
Spiers, Bogar and Bagwell also were in the Astros' lineup for the
Cordova-Rincon no-hitter.
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