GAME THREAD: NL: HOUSTON (21-24) at SAN FRANCISCO (23-22)

NL: HOUSTON at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS SAN FRANCISCO (9) - FINAL

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Biggio 2b 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 .237
M Ensberg 3b 4 1 1 1 0 1 1 .216
M Loretta 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .329
C Lee lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .307
H Pence cf 3 0 2 0 1 0 0 .341
J Lane rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .176
R White p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
B Moehler p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
a-M Lamb ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .323
A Everett ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .192
H Quintero c 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .216
M Albers p 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 .222
O Palmeiro rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .133

Totals 31 1 5 1 2 2 8

a-lined out to pitcher for B Moehler in the 9th.

BATTING: HR - M Ensberg (3, 4th inning off B Zito 0 on, 0 Out). RBI - M Ensberg
(12). GIDP - M Ensberg. Team LOB - 5.

FIELDING: E - M Ensberg (7, throw).


SAN FRANCISCO ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
R Winn cf 3 3 2 2 2 0 1 .323
F Lewis rf 3 2 0 0 2 0 2 .306
R Klesko lf 4 1 2 0 0 1 2 .315
B Hennessey p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
b-K Frandsen ph-ss 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 .314
R Durham 2b 4 1 1 2 0 1 5 .255
B Molina c 4 0 2 4 0 0 1 .308
P Feliz 3b 3 0 0 0 1 1 3 .257
R Aurilia 1b 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .236
O Vizquel ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 .235
R Ortiz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182
B Zito p 2 0 1 0 0 1 0 .105
a-M Sweeney ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .182
D Ortmeier lf 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .391

Totals 34 9 11 9 5 4 16

a-flied out to right for B Zito in the 7th; b-reached on infield single to
third for B Hennessey in the 8th.

BATTING: 2B - O Vizquel (8, B Moehler); R Winn (14, B Moehler). 3B - B Molina
(1, R White). SF - R Durham. RBI - B Molina 4 (28), R Durham 2 (28), R Winn 2
(17), K Frandsen (6). 2-out RBI - B Molina 4, R Durham, K Frandsen. Runners
left in scoring position, 2 out - R Durham 2, P Feliz 1. Team LOB - 7.

BASERUNNING: SB - F Lewis (2, 3rd base off M Albers/H Quintero).

FIELDING: DP: 1 (P Feliz-R Durham-R Aurilia).


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 000 100 000 -- 1
SAN FRANCISCO - 201 000 33x -- 9
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
M Albers (L, 1-4) 6 1/3 4 4 4 5 4 0 6.35
R White 2/3 3 2 2 0 0 0 2.91
B Moehler 1 4 3 3 0 0 0 7.80

SAN FRANCISCO ip h r er bb so hr era
B Zito (W, 4-5) 7 4 1 1 2 2 1 4.70
B Hennessey 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.37
R Ortiz 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 6.23

WP - M Albers. Pitches-strikes: M Albers 102-58; R White 11-7; B Moehler
30-18; B Zito 104-71; B Hennessey 15-8; R Ortiz 12-10. Ground balls-fly balls:
M Albers 6-9; R White 1-1; B Moehler 2-1; B Zito 9-10; B Hennessey 3-0; R Ortiz
1-2. Batters faced: M Albers 28; R White 5; B Moehler 7; B Zito 26; B Hennessey
3; R Ortiz 4.

UMPIRES: HP--Tim Tschida. 1B--Jim Joyce. 2B--Jeff Nelson. 3B--Jim Wolf.

T--2:32. Att--35,521.
Weather: 63 degrees, clear. Wind: 22 mph, out to
right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NL
HOUSTON 1
SAN FRANCISCO 9 FINAL</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOUSTON (1) AT SAN FRANCISCO (9) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SAN FRANCISCO 1ST: R Winn walked. F Lewis walked, R Winn to second.
R Klesko struck out swinging. R Durham lined out to left. R Winn to third,
F Lewis to second on wild pitch by M Albers. B Molina singled to left, R Winn and
F Lewis scored. P Feliz flied out to right. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0,
SAN FRANCISCO 2.

SAN FRANCISCO 3RD: F Lewis walked. R Klesko singled to right, F Lewis to
third. R Durham hit sacrifice fly to right, F Lewis scored. B Molina flied
out to right. P Feliz struck out looking. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

HOUSTON 4TH: M Ensberg homered to left center. M Loretta grounded out to
third. C Lee lined out to second. H Pence reached on infield single to
shortstop. J Lane flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

SAN FRANCISCO 7TH: M Sweeney hit for B Zito. M Sweeney flied out to right.
R Winn reached on infield single to shortstop. R White relieved M Albers.
O Palmeiro in right field. F Lewis flied out to center. R Klesko reached on
infield single to second, R Winn to third. R Durham singled to right, R Winn
scored, R Klesko to third. B Molina tripled to deep right center, R Klesko and
R Durham scored. P Feliz grounded out to second. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors)
HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 6.

SAN FRANCISCO 8TH: B Moehler relieved R White. R Aurilia grounded out to
shortstop. O Vizquel hit a ground rule double to deep right. D Ortmeier
singled to center, O Vizquel to third. R Winn doubled to deep left center,
O Vizquel and D Ortmeier scored. F Lewis grounded out to second, R Winn to
third. K Frandsen hit for B Hennessey. K Frandsen reached on infield single to
third, R Winn scored, K Frandsen to second on throwing error by third baseman
M Ensberg. R Durham lined out to center. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 9.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at SAN FRANCISCO

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOUSTON (1) AT SAN FRANCISCO (9) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Houston Starting Lineups -- C Biggio 2B, M Ensberg 3B, M Loretta 1B, C Lee LF,
H Pence CF, J Lane RF, A Everett SS, H Quintero C, M Albers RHP.

San Francisco Starting Lineups -- R Winn CF, F Lewis RF, R Klesko LF, R Durham 2B,
B Molina C, P Feliz 3B, R Aurilia 1B, O Vizquel SS, B Zito LHP.

Umpires -- Tim Tschida (HP), Jim Joyce (1B), Jeff Nelson (2B), Jim Wolf (3B).


Gametime Weather: 63 degrees, Clear, wind out to right at 22 mph.


HOUSTON 1ST: C Biggio grounded out to shortstop. M Ensberg struck out
looking. M Loretta flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0,
SAN FRANCISCO 0.

SAN FRANCISCO 1ST: R Winn walked. F Lewis walked, R Winn to second.
R Klesko struck out swinging. R Durham lined out to left. R Winn to third,
F Lewis to second on wild pitch by M Albers. B Molina singled to left, R Winn and
F Lewis scored. P Feliz flied out to right. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0,
SAN FRANCISCO 2.

HOUSTON 2ND: C Lee grounded out to pitcher. H Pence grounded out to
shortstop. J Lane popped out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
HOUSTON 0, SAN FRANCISCO 2.

SAN FRANCISCO 2ND: R Aurilia grounded out to third. O Vizquel flied out to
center. B Zito singled to left. R Winn grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) HOUSTON 0, SAN FRANCISCO 2.

HOUSTON 3RD: A Everett popped out to second. H Quintero grounded out to
pitcher. M Albers singled to center. C Biggio grounded out to pitcher.
(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0, SAN FRANCISCO 2.

SAN FRANCISCO 3RD: F Lewis walked. R Klesko singled to right, F Lewis to
third. R Durham hit sacrifice fly to right, F Lewis scored. B Molina flied
out to right. P Feliz struck out looking. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 0,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

HOUSTON 4TH: M Ensberg homered to left center. M Loretta grounded out to
third. C Lee lined out to second. H Pence reached on infield single to
shortstop. J Lane flied out to left. (1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

SAN FRANCISCO 4TH: R Aurilia flied out to center. O Vizquel grounded out
to shortstop. B Zito struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

HOUSTON 5TH: A Everett popped out to second. H Quintero flied out to
center. M Albers struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 3.

SAN FRANCISCO 5TH: R Winn walked. F Lewis grounded into fielder's choice
to second, R Winn out at second. R Klesko grounded out to pitcher, F Lewis to
second. F Lewis stole third. R Durham struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 3.

HOUSTON 6TH: C Biggio walked. M Ensberg grounded into double play, third
to second to first, C Biggio out at second. M Loretta singled to left. C Lee
lined out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 3.

SAN FRANCISCO 6TH: B Molina grounded out to third. P Feliz walked.
R Aurilia flied out to center. O Vizquel lined out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 3.

HOUSTON 7TH: H Pence walked. J Lane flied out to center. A Everett lined
out to right. H Quintero grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, H Pence
out at second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 3.

SAN FRANCISCO 7TH: M Sweeney hit for B Zito. M Sweeney flied out to right.
R Winn reached on infield single to shortstop. R White relieved M Albers.
O Palmeiro in right field. F Lewis flied out to center. R Klesko reached on
infield single to second, R Winn to third. R Durham singled to right, R Winn
scored, R Klesko to third. B Molina tripled to deep right center, R Klesko and
R Durham scored. P Feliz grounded out to second. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors)
HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 6.

HOUSTON 8TH: B Hennessey relieved B Zito. D Ortmeier in left field.
O Palmeiro grounded out to shortstop. C Biggio grounded out to shortstop.
M Ensberg grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 6.

SAN FRANCISCO 8TH: B Moehler relieved R White. R Aurilia grounded out to
shortstop. O Vizquel hit a ground rule double to deep right. D Ortmeier
singled to center, O Vizquel to third. R Winn doubled to deep left center,
O Vizquel and D Ortmeier scored. F Lewis grounded out to second, R Winn to
third. K Frandsen hit for B Hennessey. K Frandsen reached on infield single to
third, R Winn scored, K Frandsen to second on throwing error by third baseman
M Ensberg. R Durham lined out to center. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error) HOUSTON 1,
SAN FRANCISCO 9.

HOUSTON 9TH: K Frandsen at shortstop. R Ortiz relieved B Hennessey.
M Loretta grounded out to shortstop. C Lee lined out to right. H Pence singled
to right. M Lamb hit for B Moehler. M Lamb lined out to pitcher. (0 Runs,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) HOUSTON 1, SAN FRANCISCO 9.</div>

 

Zito, Molina carry Giants to fourth straight win

<h3>SAN FRANCISCO 9, HOUSTON 1</h3>SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Barry Zito bounced back in impressivefashion.

Zito pitched seven strong innings and Bengie Molina drove infour runs as the San Francisco Giants won their fourth straightgame with a 9-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesdaynight.

A former Cy Young Award winner, Zito had struggled in his lasttwo starts, surrendering 13 runs and 12 hits in his previous 10innings in back-to-back losses.

The lefthander was more in control this time around, yieldingone run and four hits in helping the Giants capture their thirdseries sweep of this campaign. He struck out two and walkedtwo.

Zito (4-5) gave up his only run when Houston's Morgan Ensberghit his third homer to left-center in the fourth inning.

San Francisco's offense wasted little time getting on the board.Molina stroked a two-run single in the first and Ray Durhamadded a sacrifice two frames later against Houston starter MattAlbers for a 3-0 lead.

In the seventh inning, Durham delivered an RBI single and scoredon Molina's two-run triple - his first of the season - toextend San Francisco's advantage to 6-1.

Albers (1-4) dropped his third consecutive decision, allowingfour runs and four hits with five walks in 6 1/3 innings. The24-year-old righthander has allowed 16 earned runs over his last10 frames.

 

Zito, Molina carry Giants to fourth straight win

<h3>SAN FRANCISCO 9, HOUSTON 1</h3>SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Barry Zito bounced back in impressivefashion.

Zito pitched seven strong innings and Bengie Molina drove infour runs as the San Francisco Giants won their fourth straightgame with a 9-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesdaynight.

A former Cy Young Award winner, Zito had struggled in his lasttwo starts, surrendering 13 runs and 12 hits in his previous 10innings in back-to-back losses.

"You definitely have to learn your lessons and what the reasonwhy whatever happened happened and make the adequate adjustmentthe next game," Zito said. "You have to have short-term memorybecause if you take the past into the present in this game as inlife as well, things aren't going to go well. You have totreat every day like a new moment."

The lefthander was more in control this time around, yieldingone run and four hits in helping the Giants capture their thirdseries sweep of this campaign. He struck out two and walkedtwo.

"I think just be more aggressive in the strike zone," Zito said."If they're going to beat me, let them beat me. Not beatmyself."

"We had a little talk. That was one of the first things Imentioned to him," said Molina, whose the club's catcher. "Itold him you're trying to pick up too much corners instead ofjust making the hitters hit his pitches. (Zito) was trying tomake them miss. That was one of the things we discussed - beingmore aggressive."

Zito (4-5) gave up his only run when Houston's Morgan Ensberghit his third homer to left-center in the fourth inning. It wasEnsberg's 100th blast of his career.

"I've never faced (Zito)," Enberg said. "I thought he threwreal well."

San Francisco's Russ Ortiz tossed a scoreless ninth in his firstouting since coming off the disabled list on Monday with aninjured elbow. He began the season as the club's fifth starter.

The Giants' offense wasted little time getting on the board.Molina stroked a two-run single in the first and Ray Durhamadded a sacrifice two frames later against Houston rookie MattAlbers for a 3-0 lead.

"I was trying to go off the plate a little bit and (Molina) wentover there and got it," Albers said. "It was just a bad pitch.A bad choice."

In the seventh inning, Durham delivered an RBI single and scoredon Molina's two-run triple - his first of the season - toextend San Francisco's advantage to 6-1.

"It (the triple) was something I think about ever since I signedhere," Molina said. "If I ever hit it down in that corner, thatmight be my only chance. I just went for it. I got it."

Albers (1-4) dropped his third consecutive decision, allowingfour runs and four hits with five walks in 6 1/3 innings. The24-year-old righthander has allowed 16 earned runs over his last10 frames.

"Obviously walks hurt you. I was missing off the plate a littlebit," Albers said. "I did a pretty good job keeping the ballout of the middle of the plate. I gave up two in the first andone in the third and then threw some zeros. I felt better as itwent and felt a little rhythm."