NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL AT HOUSTON - PITCHING CHANGE HOU: BRAD LIDGE (5-3, 3.41) STARTING THE 9TH CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3 DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B PENA (.219, 1-FOR-3, RBI)</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL AT HOUSTON - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: B Lidge relieved C Qualls. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 2 HOUSTON 3 TOP, 9TH DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B Pena (.219, 1-FOR-3, RBI)</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL AT HOUSTON - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: C Burke at second base. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 2 HOUSTON 3 TOP, 9TH DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B Pena (.219, 1-FOR-3, RBI)</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL AT HOUSTON - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: L Scott in left field. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 2 HOUSTON 3 TOP, 9TH DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B Pena (.219, 1-FOR-3, RBI)</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - ATLANTA 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 0 HOUSTON 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 3 7 0 (FINAL) BATTERIES: ATL - JEFF BENNETT, RON MAHAY (7TH), PETER MOYLAN (7TH), MANNY ACOSTA (8TH) AND BRAYAN PENA HOU - BRANDON BACKE, DENNIS SARFATE (7TH), CHAD QUALLS (8TH), BRAD LIDGE (9TH) AND CRAIG BIGGIO, BRAD AUSMUS (3RD) HOME RUNS: ATL - NONE HOU - LANCE BERKMAN (34) OFF JEFF BENNETT IN THE 1ST, 1 ON BRANDON BACKE (1) OFF JEFF BENNETT IN THE 5TH, 0 ON</div>
Backe, Biggio lift Astros over Braves <h3>HOUSTON 3, ATLANTA 2</h3>By Gene Duffey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer HOUSTON (Ticker) - Houston Astros righthander Brandon Backepitched and hit, soon-to-be retiring Craig Biggio caught and hitand the Astros helped celebrate Biggio's farewell weekendSaturday night with a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Backe, making his fifth start since undergoing "Tommy John"surgery last September, pitched six innings and hit a solohomer. Backe's homer wasn't a bargain-basement Minute Maid Parkspecial. He hit a 3-2 pitch 371 feet to right center in thefifth inning that gave Houston a 3-1 lead. It was the second homer in the majors for Backe, who began hispro career as a position player. He hit the other one in 2004. Backe (3-1) allowed only four hits, struck out four and walkednone. Biggio, a former All-Star catcher, returned to that position forthe first two innings of the game before going back to hisnormal position at second base. Catcher Brad Ausmus played the first two innings at second, thentraded places with Biggio after the inning. Biggio, 41, playing his 20th and final season with the Astros,received a standing ovation before every at-bat. He doubled inthe first inning and scored on Lance Berkman's 34th home run togive Houston a 2-0 lead. He also singled in the fifth inning, the 3,059th hit of hiscareer. Brad Lidge, the third Houston reliever, finished up in the ninthfor his 19th save. Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones, chasing the National Leaguebatting title, went 1-for-3 with a single in the third inningbefore being rested by manager Bobby Cox. The Braves scored a run in the second inning when Jeff Francoeursingled and raced to third on Brandon Jones' single to right.Francoeur scored when Brandon Jones grounded out to third to cutthe Astros' lead to 2-1. Francoeur doubled to lead off the seventh and eventually scoredon a sacrifice fly by Willie Harris that cut the Houston lead to3-2. Atlanta starter Jeff Bennett (2-1), also coming back from "TommyJohn" surgery, pitched six innings, giving up six hits andthree runs. He struck out five and walked one.
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">NL FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - ATLANTA 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 0 HOUSTON 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 x 3 7 0 (FINAL) BATTERIES: ATL - JEFF BENNETT, RON MAHAY (7TH), PETER MOYLAN (7TH), MANNY ACOSTA (8TH) AND BRAYAN PENA HOU - BRANDON BACKE, DENNIS SARFATE (7TH), CHAD QUALLS (8TH), BRAD LIDGE (9TH) AND CRAIG BIGGIO, BRAD AUSMUS (3RD) WP - BRANDON BACKE (3-1) LP - JEFF BENNETT (2-1) SAVE - BRAD LIDGE (19) HOME RUNS: ATL - NONE HOU - LANCE BERKMAN (34) OFF JEFF BENNETT IN THE 1ST, 1 ON BRANDON BACKE (1) OFF JEFF BENNETT IN THE 5TH, 0 ON TIME: 2:35 ATT: 43,624 PROBABLES: ATL - BUDDY CARLYLE (8-6, 5.16) HOU - FELIPE PAULINO (1-1, 10.38)</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">ATLANTA (2) VS HOUSTON (3) - FINAL ATLANTA ab r h rbi bb so lob avg Y Escobar ss 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .330 K Johnson 2b 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .276 C Jones 3b 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 .339 C Woodward 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .200 M Teixeira 1b 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .317 S Thorman 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .218 J Francoeur rf 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 .294 R Mahay p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 P Moylan p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 b-M Prado ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .288 M Acosta p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 B Jones lf 3 0 1 0 0 2 3 .133 B Pena c 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .212 W Harris cf 3 0 0 1 0 0 2 .274 J Bennett p 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000 a-M Diaz ph-rf 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 .340 Totals 33 2 8 2 1 9 13 a-singled to right for J Bennett in the 7th; b-walked for P Moylan in the 8th. BATTING: 2B - Y Escobar (25, B Backe); J Francoeur (40, D Sarfate). SF - W Harris. RBI - B Pena (3), W Harris (32). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - J Bennett 1, M Teixeira 1, Y Escobar 1, B Jones 1. Team LOB - 7. BASERUNNING: CS - B Pena (1, 2nd base by B Backe/B Ausmus). HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg J Anderson cf 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .365 C Biggio c-2b 4 1 2 0 0 1 1 .251 C Ransom ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .229 L Berkman 1b 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 .279 M Lamb 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .290 C Lee lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .302 B Lidge p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 H Pence rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .321 T Wigginton 3b 3 0 1 0 0 1 1 .287 A Everett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .232 C Burke ss-2b 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 .230 B Ausmus 2b-c 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 .236 B Backe p 2 1 1 1 0 1 0 .400 D Sarfate p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 a-E Bruntlett ph 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248 C Qualls p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 L Scott lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .255 Totals 30 3 7 3 1 6 8 a-sacrificed to third for D Sarfate in the 7th. BATTING: 2B - C Biggio (30, J Bennett). HR - L Berkman (34, 1st inning off J Bennett 1 on, 1 Out), B Backe (1, 5th inning off J Bennett 0 on, 2 Out). S - E Bruntlett. RBI - L Berkman 2 (102), B Backe (1). 2-out RBI - B Backe. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - C Biggio 1, L Berkman 1. Team LOB - 5. ---------------------------------------------------- ATLANTA - 010 000 100 -- 2 HOUSTON - 200 010 00x -- 3 ---------------------------------------------------- ATLANTA ip h r er bb so hr era J Bennett (L, 2-1) 6 6 3 3 1 5 2 3.46 R Mahay 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 2.33 P Moylan 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.80 M Acosta 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.28 HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era B Backe (W, 3-1) 6 4 1 1 0 4 0 3.77 D Sarfate (H, 3) 1 3 1 1 0 2 0 1.08 C Qualls (H, 21) 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 3.05 B Lidge (S, 19) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.36 HBP - B Jones (by B Backe). Pitches-strikes: J Bennett 95-59; R Mahay 6-6; P Moylan 2-1; M Acosta 13-8; B Backe 90-55; D Sarfate 18-14; C Qualls 24-14; B Lidge 12-9. Ground balls-fly balls: J Bennett 8-5; R Mahay 2-0; P Moylan 1-0; M Acosta 2-0; B Backe 8-5; D Sarfate 0-1; C Qualls 1-0; B Lidge 0-2. Batters faced: J Bennett 25; R Mahay 3; P Moylan 1; M Acosta 3; B Backe 22; D Sarfate 6; C Qualls 5; B Lidge 3. UMPIRES: HP--Mark Carlson. 1B--Angel Hernandez. 2B--Derryl Cousins. 3B--Ted Barrett. T--2:35. Att--43,624. Weather: INDOORS</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ATLANTA (2) AT HOUSTON (3) - HOW THEY SCORED ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HOUSTON 1ST: J Anderson grounded out to second. C Biggio doubled to left. L Berkman homered to right, C Biggio scored. C Lee grounded out to third. H Pence struck out looking. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 0, HOUSTON 2. ATLANTA 2ND: J Francoeur reached on infield single to shortstop. B Jones singled to right, J Francoeur to third. B Pena grounded out to third, J Francoeur scored, B Jones to second. W Harris flied out to right. J Bennett lined out to first. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. HOUSTON 5TH: C Burke grounded out to pitcher. B Ausmus grounded out to second. B Backe homered to right. J Anderson reached on infield single to second. C Biggio singled to right center, J Anderson to third. L Berkman struck out looking. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 3. ATLANTA 7TH: M Lamb at first base. D Sarfate relieved B Backe. J Francoeur doubled to deep right center. B Jones struck out looking. B Pena singled to left, J Francoeur to third. W Harris hit sacrifice fly to left, J Francoeur scored. M Diaz hit for J Bennett. M Diaz singled to right, B Pena to second. Y Escobar struck out swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3.</div>
NL: ATLANTA at HOUSTON <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ATLANTA (2) AT HOUSTON (3) - EVENT LOG ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Atlanta Starting Lineups -- Y Escobar SS, K Johnson 2B, C Jones 3B, M Teixeira 1B, J Francoeur RF, B Jones LF, B Pena C, W Harris CF, J Bennett RHP. Houston Starting Lineups -- J Anderson CF, C Biggio C, L Berkman 1B, C Lee LF, H Pence RF, T Wigginton 3B, A Everett SS, B Ausmus 2B, B Backe RHP. Umpires -- Mark Carlson (HP), Angel Hernandez (1B), Derryl Cousins (2B), Ted Barrett (3B). Gametime Weather: INDOORS. ATLANTA 1ST: Y Escobar doubled to left. K Johnson struck out swinging. C Jones grounded out to second, Y Escobar to third. M Teixeira grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 0, HOUSTON 0. HOUSTON 1ST: J Anderson grounded out to second. C Biggio doubled to left. L Berkman homered to right, C Biggio scored. C Lee grounded out to third. H Pence struck out looking. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 0, HOUSTON 2. ATLANTA 2ND: J Francoeur reached on infield single to shortstop. B Jones singled to right, J Francoeur to third. B Pena grounded out to third, J Francoeur scored, B Jones to second. W Harris flied out to right. J Bennett lined out to first. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. HOUSTON 2ND: T Wigginton struck out swinging. A Everett grounded out to shortstop. B Ausmus grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. ATLANTA 3RD: C Biggio at second base. B Ausmus catching. Y Escobar grounded out to shortstop. K Johnson grounded out to second. C Jones singled to right. M Teixeira flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. HOUSTON 3RD: B Backe struck out looking. J Anderson grounded out to second. C Biggio struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. ATLANTA 4TH: J Francoeur struck out looking. B Jones hit by pitch. B Pena grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, B Jones out at second. B Pena caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop.(0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. HOUSTON 4TH: L Berkman walked. C Lee flied out to right. H Pence flied out to center. T Wigginton flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. ATLANTA 5TH: C Burke at shortstop. W Harris flied out to center. J Bennett struck out looking. Y Escobar grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 2. HOUSTON 5TH: C Burke grounded out to pitcher. B Ausmus grounded out to second. B Backe homered to right. J Anderson reached on infield single to second. C Biggio singled to right center, J Anderson to third. L Berkman struck out looking. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 3. ATLANTA 6TH: K Johnson flied out to left. C Jones struck out swinging. M Teixeira grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 3. HOUSTON 6TH: C Woodward at third base. S Thorman at first base. C Lee grounded out to shortstop. H Pence flied out to center. T Wigginton singled to left. C Burke flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 1, HOUSTON 3. ATLANTA 7TH: M Lamb at first base. D Sarfate relieved B Backe. J Francoeur doubled to deep right center. B Jones struck out looking. B Pena singled to left, J Francoeur to third. W Harris hit sacrifice fly to left, J Francoeur scored. M Diaz hit for J Bennett. M Diaz singled to right, B Pena to second. Y Escobar struck out swinging. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3. HOUSTON 7TH: R Mahay relieved J Bennett. M Diaz in right field. B Ausmus singled to left. E Bruntlett hit for D Sarfate. E Bruntlett sacrificed to third, B Ausmus to second. J Anderson grounded out to shortstop. P Moylan relieved R Mahay. C Biggio grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3. ATLANTA 8TH: C Qualls relieved D Sarfate. K Johnson reached on infield single to second. C Woodward grounded out to pitcher, K Johnson to second. S Thorman struck out swinging. M Prado hit for P Moylan. M Prado walked. B Jones struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3. HOUSTON 8TH: M Acosta relieved P Moylan. M Lamb grounded out to second. C Lee grounded out to shortstop. H Pence struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3. ATLANTA 9TH: C Ransom at shortstop. B Lidge relieved C Qualls. C Burke at second base. L Scott in left field. B Pena flied out to left. W Harris flied out to left. M Diaz struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) ATLANTA 2, HOUSTON 3.</div>
Backe, Biggio lift Astros over Braves <h3>HOUSTON 3, ATLANTA 2</h3>By Gene Duffey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer HOUSTON (Ticker) - Houston Astros righthander Brandon Backepitched and hit, soon-to-be retiring Craig Biggio caught and hitand the Astros helped celebrate Biggio's farewell weekendSaturday night with a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves. Backe, making his fifth start since undergoing "Tommy John"surgery last September, pitched six innings and hit a solohomer. Backe's homer wasn't a bargain-basement Minute Maid Parkspecial. He hit a 3-2 pitch 371 feet to right center in thefifth inning that gave Houston a 3-1 lead. It was the second homer in the majors for Backe, who began hispro career as a position player. He hit the other one in 2004. Backe (3-1) allowed only four hits, struck out four and walkednone. "It was awesome," Backe said of pitching to Biggio, his favoriteAstro growing up in nearby Galveston. "There's no other wordsto describe pitching to my childhood idol. It's unbelievable.I'm going to cherish this for the rest of my life." Biggio, a former All-Star catcher, returned to that position forthe first two innings of the game before going back to hisnormal position at second base. "It was fun," Biggio said. "So many people had so many nicethings to say just walking in from the bullpen. I had fun withthe umpire (Mark Carlson) and the hitters a bit." The plan was for Biggio to catch the first inning and maybe thesecond, depending on how he felt. "He came in after the first inning and said, 'Let's do itagain,' " Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "I'm sure it wastough on his legs. He did a nice job. We yelled at him once toframe a pitch. I can say I managed a Hall of Famer." Backe said he did shake off Biggio a couple of times. "He wanted to go inside with a lefthanded hitter and a runner onfirst base," Backe said. "I was pretty pumped (to pitch tohim). I finished my routine in the bullpen eight minutes tooquick." Biggio, the Astros' regular catcher for his first three fullseasons in the majors, didn't object to Backe shaking him off,particularly after Atlanta's Yunel Escobar opened the game witha double to left. "I was just worried about catching the ball," Biggio said. "Youlead off the game with a double and the last thing you want todo is have a passed ball and have the guy advance. I forgotwhat that side of the game was like, calling pitches, trying toset up the hitters. I was happy it went as well as it did." Catcher Brad Ausmus played the first two innings at second, thentraded places with Biggio after the inning. Biggio, 41, playing his 20th and final season with the Astros,received a standing ovation before every at-bat. He doubled inthe first inning and scored on Lance Berkman's 34th home run togive Houston a 2-0 lead. "That's the best I've seen him throw the ball since the playoffsa couple of years ago," Berkman said of Backe. "He was pretty sharp," Cooper said. "The one thing he has to dois command his fastball. He did that tonight. For the mostpart he was down in the zone. Hopefully that will be the Backeof 2008." Backe said he is not 100 percent yet. "With the rest in the offseason, my velocity may be a littlebetter," he said. Biggio also singled in the fifth inning, the 3,059th hit of hiscareer. "Today was hard walking out after the game with my boys," Biggiosaid of the emotions in his penultimate game. "I can't answerwhat tomorrow will be like." Biggio was asked how he would like to be remembered by the fans. "He played the game the right way, and I think they know that,"he said. "Thanks for playing hard every day, running out everyground ball and fly ball. That's the way it was taught to meand the only way I knew." "It will be tough to hold the tears back (Sunday)," Backe said. Brad Lidge, the third Houston reliever, finished up in the ninthfor his 19th save. Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones, chasing the National Leaguebatting title, went 1-for-3 with a single in the third inningbefore being rested by manager Bobby Cox. Cox, missing the playoffs for the second straight year, won't behappy to see the season end. "Don't tell me about it," he said. "I don't like the endwhether you're winning or losing, even when when you get beat orwin the World Series. It's the end and there's nowhere to gothe next day." The Braves scored a run in the second inning when Jeff Francoeursingled and raced to third on Brandon Jones' single to right.Francoeur scored when Brandon Jones grounded out to third to cutthe Astros' lead to 2-1. Francoeur doubled to lead off the seventh and eventually scoredon a sacrifice fly by Willie Harris that cut the Houston lead to3-2. Atlanta starter Jeff Bennett (2-1), also coming back from "TommyJohn" surgery, pitched six innings, giving up six hits andthree runs. He struck out five and walked one.
