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'We had this one' Astros let one slip away as postseason woes continue
Updated: Tuesday October 09, 2001 7:43 PM
HOUSTON (AP) -- Not much has changed since the last time the Houston Astros were in the playoffs. They are still losing to the Atlanta Braves. Back in the postseason after a one-year absence, the Astros lost 7-4 Tuesday to the Braves, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs in 1997 and 1999. "You can't say things like we're a jinxed team," Houston star Jeff Bagwell said. "Someone still had to make the error and someone hit a three-run home run. You have to give credit to them. It was a tough situation." After losing the opener in the best-of-five set, the Astros tried not to think about their postseason losses. They are 0-6 in playoff series and their six hits on Tuesday were typical of their playoff offense. "The thing that is frustrating is that we had this one," Bagwell said. "But it's not going to affect us. Just because they won the first game doesn't mean they are going to win the series." The Astros had a 3-2 lead going into the eighth inning with Mike Jackson on the mound. That's where the Astros dismal playoff legacy emerged once again. Jackson yielded the tying run and then Chipper Jones hit a three-run home run off closer Billy Wagner. "I was ready, I just didn't do my job," Wagner said. "It was a perfect pitch, for him, but it didn't sound like he hit it as well. It didn't sound good coming off the end of the bat."
Houston lost the opening game to the Braves in the 1997 playoffs and won the opener in 1999. "We have nothing to lose, we haven't won a series yet," Wagner said. "Why should we be uptight? We just have to go out and play." Atlanta swept the Astros 3-0 in 1997 and won the 1999 series by 3-1. "We were comfortable with a 3-2 lead, but not like sitting back on our haunches," said Brad Ausmus, who homered for Houston. "We felt with our bullpen we could hold that lead. Today we didn't get it done." Wagner's pitch to Jones was an errant fastball. "It came back over the plate a little, but not that much," Ausmus said. "You have to credit Chipper for hitting it." The game was close until the eighth. With one out, Marcus Giles singled just out of the reach of diving second baseman Craig Biggio, tying the game at 3. Shortstop Julio Lugo bobbled a grounder by Julio Franco for an error prior to Jones' big home run. "Stuff like that happens," Ausmus said. "We had a chance to win the game and we didn't do our jobs. Maybe we'll go out tomorrow and it will be 1-0 and we'll get the job done." Lugo said he'd shake off his misplay. "All the guys were very supportive," Lugo said. "These things happen. Maybe tomorrow I will make a good play and we'll win the game. I'm not going to put my head down." The Astros agreed Game 2 on Wednesday will be key to the series. "It would be tough to go to Atlanta 0-2," Ausmus said. "We wouldn't be mathematically out of it. We could win three in a row, but that would be tough to do in Atlanta." Wagner, for one, is ready to forget Game 1. "If the phone rings tomorrow, I'll be ready," he said.
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