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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MIAMI (AP) -- Jose Lima took quite a vow.
"I made a promise to myself -- I'm not going to lose another
ballgame this year," he said after winning his third straight
decision and leading the Houston Astros over the Florida Marlins
4-2 Monday night.
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| Lima |
Lima (4-13), who leads the major leagues with 32 homers allowed,
hasn't lost in five starts. He helped himself by doubling in the
seventh and scoring on Craig Biggio's sacrifice fly.
"In 1998, I promised I'd win 15 games, and I won 16," he said.
"In '99, I promised I'd win 20 and I won 21. With 12 or 13 more
starts, and with the help of the Lord, I'll win 10 or 11 games."
Lima left with one out in the seventh. He allowed two runs and
eight hits, walked two and struck out three.
"He was as good as he had to be," Astros manager Larry Dierker
said. "Last year, when he was on a roll, I might have left him in
there. But this year, he's not on a roll, so I figured I'd get him
out of there and let someone else worry about it."
Marc Valdes and Octavio Dotel (third save) combined for the
final 2 2/3 scoreless innings as the Astros stopped a three-game
losing streak. Dotel got his third save.
Biggio drove in three runs, also homering in the third and
singling home a run in the ninth. His two hits raised his average
to just .270.
"I look up at the scoreboard and see Biggio hitting .266, and I
think there's something wrong with the board," Marlins manager John
Boles said.
Houston center fielder Richard Hidalgo made two big plays in the
fourth. He threw out Mike Lowell at the plate for the second out,
then made an inning-ending running catch of Ramon Castro's deep fly
to center with runners on second and third.
"I was surprised Lowell went (home), because I play in close,"
Hidalgo said.
"It's just a mistake," Boles said. "Things happen.
(Third-base coach) Fredi (Gonzalez) has been near perfect all
year."
Florida closed to 3-2 in the seventh when Castro's sacrifice fly
scored Andy Fox, who tripled. Castro was the last batter Lima
faced.
Marlins starter A.J. Burnett (1-2) left after walking Lance
Berkman and Moises Alou starting the sixth. After Ricky Bones
relieved, Hildalgo moved up the runners with a slow grounder and
Tony Eusebio followed with an RBI groundout.
Burnett, coming off a poor outing in which he lasted just four
innings at Atlanta, gave up two runs and four hits. He walked four
in five-plus innings.
Biggio hit his eighth homer in the third, tying it at 1.
Wilson's RBI single in the first gave Florida a 1-0 lead. Mark
Kotsay reached on a forceout, stole second and scored on Wilson's
hit.
Game notes
Only 8,044 fans attended the game. ... OF Henry Rodriguez,
acquired from the Chicago Cubs, is expected to join the Marlins in
time for Wednesday night's game against Houston. ... Astros RHP
Shane Reynolds was been scratched from his scheduled start Thursday
at Florida. Reynolds, who left Friday night's 5-2 loss at Atlanta
after the first inning because of tightness in his lower back,
returned to Houston on Sunday to be examined by team physician Dr.
Bill Ryan.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Houston Clubhouse
Florida Clubhouse
RECAPS
Baltimore 6 Minnesota 5
Anaheim 5 Detroit 4
Oakland 6 Toronto 1
Boston 8 Seattle 5
Houston 4 Florida 2
St. Louis 4 Montreal 0
Los Angeles 0 Pittsburgh 0
Cincinnati 6 NY Mets 0
Chicago Cubs 2 Colorado 0
San Francisco 4 Milwaukee 3
San Diego 4 Philadelphia 1
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