Milledge, Mets crush Astros

Baseball Betting Lines

09/08/2007 - Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lastings Milledge's three-run homer highlighted a six-run sixth inning as the New York Mets thumped the Houston Astros, 11-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Shea Stadium.

Milledge ended 2-for-4 and Carlos Beltran also had two hits, including a homer, for the NL East-leading Mets, who have won six of seven. David Wright and Luis Castillo each contributed with an RBI and two runs scored for New York, which increased its lead in the division to six games over the Phillies. Philadelphia lost 6-3 to Florida on Friday night.

Mike Pelfrey (2-7) picked up his second straight win, allowing two runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.

Lance Berkman homered and scored a pair of runs for the Astros, who have lost three straight and five of six.

Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez (8-13) was hit with the loss, surrendering five runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Berkman played a part in the first two runs for the Astros, homering in the first and scoring on a Mark Loretta base hit in the third. However, after that it was all New York.

In the home half of the inning, Wright doubled home Pelfrey and Castillo, who was going to stop at third on the hit, scored when center-fielder Hunter Pence committed a throwing error. Wright then scored the go-ahead run on a Beltran single.

Beltran added a solo homer and Jeff Conine singled home a run in the fifth to increase the lead to 5-1.

The Mets escaped trouble in the sixth inning. Pelfrey was lifted with one out and the bases loaded in favor of Jorge Sosa. Craig Biggio greeted Sosa with the sinking liner to right that Milledge made a diving catch on to record the out and hold the runners. Sosa then struck out Berkman to end the inning and hold the Astros in check.

A six-run home half of the inning put the game out of reach. Castillo singled home Jose Reyes, who tripled the at-bat prior, with the first run of the frame and later scored on Moises Alou's double. Paul Lo Duca later added a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 8-2 and Milledge capped the inning's scoring with a three-run homer.

Houston got one run back in the seventh when Ty Wigginton doubled home Luke Scott.

Game Notes

Prior to the game, the Mets recalled outfielder Carlos Gomez from New Orleans...Berkman has 29 homers this season...Beltran hit his 28th homer...Milledge's HR was his fifth...Reyes hit his first triple since August 5. He has 12 triples this season.

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If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

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