Saarloos Is Completely Different

Kirk Saarloos knows why he pitched the Houston Astros’ first complete game this season.

“Confidence is the difference,” Saarloos said after limiting the Pittsburgh Pirates to six hits as the Astros beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-0, Thursday at Houston.

Saarloos won his second start since being called up from triple-A New Orleans on Saturday. He made his major league debut in June, but was 0-2 in three starts with a 17.65 earned-run average before he was sent down June 30. Since his return, the 23-year-old has given up one run in 14 innings.

“The first time I was up here, I didn’t know many faces,” said Saarloos, a former Cal State Fullerton standout. “I didn’t go to spring training with the major league club, so I didn’t know these guys and I really wanted to do well the first time up to show them I could. I put a lot of pressure on myself then.”

Saarloos (2-2) didn’t walk a batter as he pitched the team’s first shutout since Roy Oswalt did it against Milwaukee Sept. 9, 2001.

No Astro starter had pitched into the ninth inning this season before Saarloos, who struck out six.

Catcher Brad Ausmus said Saarloos is no fluke.

“Even after he had a rough start in Milwaukee his first time up, I still felt he would succeed at this level,” Ausmus said.

“As long as he keeps the ball down, he’s going to get a lot of ground balls and beat people.”

Jeff Bagwell improved his July average to .352, best among NL first basemen and second only to the Yankees’ Jason Giambi (.353) in the majors. After hitting .200 in June, Bagwell’s season average has risen 20 points to .276.

St. Louis 4, San Francisco 3--J.D. Drew homered and drove in four runs, sending Travis Smith and the Cardinals to victory over the Giants at San Francisco.

St. Louis, 9-4 since the All-Star break, finished a seven-game trip with another strong outing from Smith, the rookie who was recalled from the minors after Darryl Kile died last month.

Smith (4-1), who wasn’t even in St. Louis’ plans for this season a few months ago, has won three of his five starts since being brought up. He held San Francisco’s patchwork lineup to seven hits over six innings while striking out six.

The Giants’ Tsuyoshi Shinjo left in the third inning with a strained right hamstring after an awkward slide at second base. Shinjo was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game and the Giants recalled outfielder Tony Torcato, their first-round draft pick in 1998, from triple-A Fresno.

Barry Bonds and Reggie Sanders didn’t play in the St. Louis series because of hamstring injuries and catcher Benito Santiago was sidelined for two because of a sty in his left eye.

Philadelphia 6, Chicago 2--Tomas Perez hit a bases-loaded triple and then made a daring dash home in the eighth inning for the Phillies at Chicago.

The Cubs’ Fred McGriff hit his 470th career homer.

Florida 3, Montreal 2--Juan Encarnacion singled through a drawn-in infield to drive in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning for the Marlins at Montreal.