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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- If Robert Person pitches in the daytime,
it's lights out for the opposition.
|  | | Robert Person leads the NL in earned-run average during day games, but Saturday's victory was only his first in 2½ months. |
The right-hander kept up his torrid pitching in daytime starts
with 7 1/3 strong innings and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the
Houston Astros 3-2 Saturday in a game delayed nearly 2 1/2 hours by
rain.
Person lowered his daytime ERA to an NL-best 1.88. He's allowed
eight earned runs in 38 1/3 innings.
"It's just one of those things, I can't explain it," said
Person, who won for the first time since May 27. "I was just happy
to get a win. It had been a really long time, too long."
It was the Phillies' first home win against Houston in eight
games, dating to Aug. 17, 1998.
Despite the lengthy rain delay which occurred in the first
inning, Person (6-4) gave up five hits and one earned run -- all in
the first three innings. In his longest outing since a complete
game on May 9, he struck out six and walked three.
"I told (Philadelphia manager Terry Francona) that I felt
really good before the game, I just wanted the chance to go out and
warm up after the delay," Person said. "It took me an inning or
two to really loosen up again but that was it. (The long delay)
really didn't take anything out of me."
Person retired 11 batters in a row before pinch-hitter Tripp
Cromer drew a one-out walk in the eighth. Chris Brock relieved and
gave up two straight singles to load the bases.
Brock got Jeff Bagwell to pop out with the bases loaded. On the
play, first baseman Travis Lee made a great over-the-shoulder catch
down the right-field line, turned and fired home preventing Cromer,
who wasn't tagging immediately on the play, from scoring.
"That was the play of the game," Francona said. "Travis
didn't make it look real difficult, but it really was a tough
play."
"I like going back on the ball like that," Lee said. "I knew
(right fielder) Bobby (Abreu) was playing in the gap and he wasn't
going to be able to get it. I just made the catch and got rid of it
as fast as I could."
"A great play," Houston manager Larry Dierker said. "You hope
for more from a guy like Bagwell but you can't expect a guy to do
it every time."
After a passed ball scored Cromer, Brock fanned Richard Hidalgo.
Ed Vosberg got one out in the ninth and then walked Lance
Berkman. Jeff Brantley closed for his 18th save in 22
opportunities.
Marlon Anderson's two-run single off Wade Miller (1-4) in the
third put the Phillies ahead 3-1.
Miller was impressive over his six innings as he gave up three
runs on six hits. He tied a career high with nine strikeouts,
including six over his final three innings, and walked four.
"I was a little anxious early on," said Miller, who grew up in
the Reading, Pa., area and had over 175 family and friends in
attendance for the game. "I settled down and got the ball over the
plate with more control as the game went along."
Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the first on Pat Burrell's RBI
single. There was a rain delay of two hours, 22 minutes in the
bottom of the first.
Houston tied it in the third on Bill Spiers' sacrifice fly.
The Phillies' defense made Houston pay for its aggressive
baserunning.
Center fielder Doug Glanville threw out two baserunners,
including Spiers in the first inning. On Bagwell's double to center
field, Spiers tried to beat a relay throw from shortstop Tomas
Perez, but catcher Tom Prince set up a great block of the plate and
put the tag on Spiers.
Game notes
Phillies 3B Scott Rolen missed his third straight start due
to stiffness in his left wrist. ... Tony Eusebio's single in the
second inning extended his hitting streak to a career-high 16
games. It also tied a season-high for the Astros with Craig Biggio
(April 5-26). ... Moises Alou was ejected by home plate umpire Greg
Gibson in the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes. Alou
struck out looking in each of his two plate appearances.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
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