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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Wagner Misses No-Hitter - Barely

Associated Press

National League

Paul Wagner usually gets asked how he possibly could pitch so poorly. Then, on one almost inexplicable night, he had to explain how he pitched so remarkably well.

Wagner, leading the National League in losses, came within one strike of pitching perhaps the most unlikely no-hitter in major-league history Tuesday night, finishing with a one-hitter as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 in Pittsburgh.

Only Andres Galarraga’s slow-rolling single on a 3-2, two-out pitch in the ninth inning, a tapper hit so softly that it barely skipped by a sprawling Wagner, prevented the league’s least-successful starter from baseball immortality.

“I saw the ball all the way, I saw every seam on every hop, but I just couldn’t get to it,” Wagner said. “I really thought I was going to get it. It was 3-2, two outs in the ninth and I remember thinking, ‘In this situation, the guy swings and misses and everything works out OK.”’

Until then, the Rockies, who lead the majors with 166 homers, had been so frustrated by Wagner’s 95 mph fastball and hardbreaking slider that N.L. home run leader Dante Bichette even tried to bunt in the seventh inning.

Astros 11, Braves 9 (13)

Atlanta

Houston ended its team-record 11-game losing streak, hitting five home runs in a game for the first time in nearly 18 years in beating Atlanta.

Tony Eusebio led off the 13th with a home run, and the Astros added another run on a suicide-squeeze bunt by John Cangelosi.

Mets 4, Dodgers 3

Los Angeles

Jeff Kent hit a solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning to tie it and Butch Huskey hit an RBI single off reliever Todd Worrell’s glove, leading New York past Los Angeles.

The Dodgers rallied for three runs in the eighth, capped by Delino DeShields’ single, for a 3-2 lead. But the Mets bounced back for their ninth win in 12 games.

Reds 4, Cardinals 1

Cincinnati

Mariano Duncan hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Dave Burba allowed five hits over eight innings as Cincinnati beat St. Louis.

Duncan, subbing in left field for Ron Gant and batting cleanup, got his fifth homer of the season after Barry Larkin singled with two outs.

Expos 2, Padres 1

San Diego

Jeff Fassero recorded his career-high 13th win and beat San Diego for the fourth time this season as Montreal defeated the Padres.

Cubs 10, Marlins 6

Miami

Ozzie Timmons had two doubles and two RBIs as Chicago beat Florida, the Marlins’ first home loss since July 27.

Giants 6, Phillies 4

San Francisco

Barry Bonds doubled to the center-field wall in the seventh inning, driving in two runs to snap a tie and send San Francisco to the victory over Philadelphia.

Clearing the bases

Tony Tarasco of the Montreal Expos was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount by the National League for instigating a bench-clearing incident against San Francisco. … Philadelphia has hit 27 homers this month, one-third of its season total of 76. … The Colorado Rockies failed to homer for the second straight game and the 30th time in 115 games. They are 9-21 when they fail to homer. … The Cincinnati Reds transferred Jose Rijo from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list after he had elbow surgery last Tuesday. … St. Louis has the worst road record (19-39) in the N.L.