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Billy Wagner blows key save against his old teammates
Craig Biggio hits game-winner with two out in the ninth
By Rom Maaddi (The Associated Press)
PHILADELPHIA - Craig Biggio learned enough from watching Billy Wagner pitch to know how to beat his former teammate.
Biggio hit a three-run homer off Wagner with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Houston Astros completed a three-game sweep with an 8-6 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night. Houston, which has a one-game lead over Florida in the NL wild-card race, won its 12th straight over Philadelphia. The free-falling Phillies fell two and a half games behind with their fifth straight loss. "That's the first time I've ever faced Billy," Biggio said of his close friend and teammate for eight years in Houston. "He threw me a fastball in, then inside again. The last pitch was 99 mph, so I could have popped it up." Bobby Abreu hit a tying two-run homer in the eighth, and pinch-hitter Shane Victorino gave the Phillies a short-lived lead with an RBI single, his first major league hit in more than two years. Wagner (4-3) retired the first two batters in the ninth before Jose Vizcaino reached on third baseman David Bell's fielding error. Willy Taveras beat out an infield single to shortstop, and Biggio followed with a drive into the left-field seats for his 20th homer. "I tried to get it up, but that's his zone," Wagner said. "You have to make sure it's up enough." Making matters worse for Philadelphia's All-Star closer, Biggio just signed a jersey for Wagner's son. "Here you go, son, here's a jersey from the guy who just homered off your dad," said Wagner, who got the loss for the second straight game after not facing Houston the first nine times the teams met since he was traded to Philadelphia in 2003. Chad Qualls (5-4) got the final two outs in the eighth. Brad Lidge finished for his 35th save. Light-hitting Mike Lamb hit a three-run homer and Lance Berkman hit a solo shot for Houston. The Phillies rallied in the eighth against Dan Wheeler. Pinch-hitter Jason Michaels walked to start the inning. After Chase Utley sent Taveras to the center-field wall on a flyout, Abreu hit a drive deep into the Phillies' bullpen in center field to tie it at 5. The normally low-key Abreu shouted at his teammates in the dugout on his way to first base and slowly jogged around the bases. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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