Astros win third straight championship
Victory overcomes season of adversity
Box Score   Play-by-Play

Craig Biggio and Mike Hampton take a victory lap

October 3, 1999 - In the final regular-season game played in the Astrodome, the Astros needed a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch their third straight NL Central championship. Providing the team with his typical clutch performance, Mike Hampton made a bases-loaded, first inning double by Daryle Ward stand up as the Astros won easily, 9-4. With the championship, the Astros capped an injury-filled season and held off a tough Cincinnati Reds team that had owned first place just a week earlier. Hampton's victory gave him a 22-4 record for the year, setting the franchise mark for wins. He would finish second in the NL Cy Young voting behind ex-Astro Randy Johnson. The team finished with 97 wins, the second-most in franchise history, five games behind their mark set in the previous season. Jose Cabrera pitched a scoreless 8th inning and Jay Powell added some drama to a 9-1 laugher by allowing three runs in the 9th inning.

Some controversy came from Los Angeles' decision to start rookie Robinson Checo instead of pitching ace Kevin Brown on three days rest. Checo walked five of the seven batters he faced, setting up the three-run double to Ward. Most of the grumbling came from Cincinnati, which subsequently lost a one-game playoff to the Mets. In the fourth inning, Craig Biggio laced a double into the right-field corner, giving him 56 for the season and establishing the current franchise record.

Clinching in the Astrodome's final game was special, no doubt. But, more importantly, the 1999 championship represented a victory over the tremendous adversity that the team faced during the season. First-base coach Jose Cruz missed time after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat. Hitting coach Tom McCraw missed time to undergo treatment for cancer. The team was also devastated when manager Larry Dierker nearly died in the dugout after suffering a "grand mal" seizure on June 13. After undergoing brain surgery, the beloved skipper was back to normal and managing again within a month. On the field, many key players missed time due to injury. Outfielder Moises Alou missed the entire season and catcher Mitch Meluskey played only three weeks before being sidelined with a season-ending shoulder injury. Third baseman Ken Caminiti missed half of the season with a leg injury. Outfielder Richard Hidalgo missed the last two months of the season due to a knee injury. On top of all of this, the team faced a tough challenge from the Cincinnati Reds, which won 96 games and still failed to make the playoffs. 1999 certainly represented one of the greatest seasons in franchise history.


Jay Powell finds himself at the bottom of the victory pile
For the fans, nothing beats clinching at home


The team's third consecutive championship was one reason to celebrate...


...giving a proper sendoff to the team's famous home was another reason


While Craig Biggio and Mike Hampton were motoring around the field, the rest of the team took a "victory lap" for the fans, sharing their third consecutive championship with them and providing a memorable moment for the Astrodome's final regular-season game



The champagne flowed freely, celebrating a remarkable championship overcoming a season filled with adversity

The New York Times summary of the game: HOUSTON -- For once, it was easy. The Houston Astros did not struggle. They did not have to come from behind. They did not have to do much of anything, in fact, but celebrate yesterday, clinching their third consecutive National League Central title with a 10-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

How easy was it? Five walks in the bottom of the first inning gave the Astros a 4-0 lead and got the crowd of 52,033 rocking as they celebrated the final regular-season game in the sold-out Astrodome.

The Astros overcame a litany of injuries this season, especially in the outfield; a frightening collapse by Manager Larry Dierker on June 13 during a game against San Diego and brain surgery two days later, and an end-of-the-season slump.

Yesterday, the Astros were pumped up. From a red-white-and-blue confetti rain at the close of the game to champagne in the locker room and a 90-minute ceremony following it all to honor the all-time roster and the Astrodome's 35th and final season, the Astros couldn't stop talking about all they had overcome and what they still had to do.

``This is huge,'' said Ken Caminiti, whose third-inning home run gave the Astros a 5-1 lead. ``All this team has gone through -- the injuries, the manager going down -- I can't say enough for this club. We've gotten this far, but it's only the first steppingstone. We've got a long way to go.''

Dierker, who was a rookie on the first Astros team to play in the dome, agreed. Although he said the victory and the title were special, he did not get caught up in the sentimental side of the day.

``Right now,'' he said, soaked with champagne and cigar in hand, ``I'm anxious to get into the new stadium next year. And I'd like to be carrying the banner with me.'' A World Series banner.

No matter how many games it takes. The Astros took winning the division down to the wire. After leading the division by four games after a 12-game winning streak, they let their lead slip away, forcing a tense final week in which they split two games with the Cincinnati Reds and went 2-1 against the Dodgers to win the title.

But as tight as those first four games the past week were, the finale was not in question after the first inning. Then again, Dodgers Manager Davey Johnson left the originally scheduled starting pitcher, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield and Todd Hundley out of the lineup.

Robinson Checo started in place of Brown and lasted one-third of an inning. After striking out Craig Biggio, Checo gave up four straight walks to put Houston ahead, 1-0. Then he gave up a three-run double off the right-field wall to Daryle Ward to make it 4-0. After walking Tony Eusebio, Checo gave way to Matt Herges.

``With all we've overcome, this is just amazing,'' said Hampton, who went seven innings for his 22nd victory.

``It's just made us better.''


Box score 

     Game of 10/3/1999 -- Los Angeles at Houston 
     Courtesy of Retrosheet

  Los Angeles        AB  R  H RBI    Houston            AB  R  H RBI  
Young E, 2b           4  1  0  0   Biggio C, 2b          3  0  1  0   
Grudzielanek M, ss    5  0  2  1   Javier S, rf-lf       4  2  1  1   
Mondesi R, rf         5  0  2  1   Bagwell J, 1b         3  3  1  1   
Karros E, 1b          4  0  0  0   Everett C, cf-rf      4  1  1  0   
White D, cf           3  0  0  0   Caminiti K, 3b        2  2  1  2   
Beltre A, 3b          4  1  1  0   Ward D, lf            2  0  1  3   
Hubbard T, lf         3  1  0  0   Mieske M, ph          0  0  0  0   
LoDuca P, c           3  0  0  0   Barker G, pr-cf       2  0  1  1   
Checo R, p            0  0  0  0   Eusebio T, c          3  0  0  1   
Herges M, p           1  0  0  0   Gutierrez R, ss       4  0  0  0   
Cromer T, ph          0  0  0  0   Hampton M, p          3  1  1  0   
Masaoka O, p          0  0  0  0   Spiers B, ph          1  0  0  0   
Arnold J, p           0  0  0  0   Cabrera J, p          0  0  0  0   
Borbon P, p           0  0  0  0   Powell J, p           0  0  0  0   
Vizcaino J, ph        1  0  1  0   
Mills A, p            0  0  0  0   
Maddux M, p           0  0  0  0   
Hansen D, ph          1  1  1  2   
                     -- -- -- --                        -- -- -- --
                     34  4  7  4                        31  9  8  9   

Los Angeles      001 000 003 --  4
Houston          401 013 00x --  9

  Los Angeles          IP  H  R ER BB SO
Checo R (L)           0.1  1  4  4  5  1
Herges M              3.2  2  1  1  1  5
Masaoka O             0.1  1  1  1  2  1
Arnold J              1.1  2  3  2  1  1
Borbon P              0.1  1  0  0  0  1
Mills A               1.0  0  0  0  0  2
Maddux M              1.0  1  0  0  1  1

  Houston              IP  H  R ER BB SO
Hampton M (W)         7.0  3  1  1  4  8
Cabrera J             1.0  1  0  0  0  2
Powell J              1.0  3  3  3  1  1

Game winning RBI -- none
E -- Ward D, Arnold J, Barker G
LOB -- Los Angeles 8, Houston 9
2B -- Ward D, Biggio C, Javier S, Hansen D
HR -- Caminiti K
SB -- White D, Young E, Bagwell J
CS -- Biggio C
SH -- Biggio C
WP -- Hampton M, Arnold J, Maddux M
T -- 3:06
A -- 52033

Play by Play 

Game of Saturday, 10/3/1999 -- Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston Astros 
Courtesy of Retrosheet

Starting Lineups:

   Los Angeles                   Houston                       
1. 2B Eric Young                 2B Craig Biggio                    
2. SS Mark Grudzielanek          RF Stan Javier                    
3. RF Raul Mondesi               1B Jeff Bagwell                   
4. 1B Eric Karros                CF Carl Everett                   
5. CF Devon White                3B Ken Caminiti                  
6. 3B Adrian Beltre              LF Daryle Ward                      
7. LF Trent Hubbard               C Tony Eusebio                   
8.  C Paul LoDuca                SS Ricky Gutierrez                 
9.  P Robinson Checo              P Mike Hampton                   

DODGERS 1ST: 
E.Young grounded out (R.Gutierrez-ss to J.Bagwell-1b)
M.Grudzielanek singled to right field 
R.Mondesi flied to C.Everett-cf
E.Karros struck out
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 0.

ASTROS 1ST: 
C.Biggio struck out
S.Javier walked
J.Bagwell walked [S.Javier to second]
C.Everett walked [S.Javier to third, J.Bagwell to second]
K.Caminiti walked [S.Javier scored, J.Bagwell to third, C.Everett to second]
D.Ward doubled to right field [J.Bagwell scored, C.Everett scored, 
  K.Caminiti scored]
T.Eusebio walked
M.HERGES REPLACED R.CHECO (PITCHING)
R.Gutierrez flied to R.Mondesi-rf
M.Hampton forced D.Ward (A.Beltre-3b unassisted) [T.Eusebio to second, M.Hampton to first]
4 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 4.

DODGERS 2ND:
D.White walked
A.Beltre struck out
D.White stole second
T.Hubbard struck out
P.LoDuca walked
M.Herges struck out
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 4.

ASTROS 2ND:
C.Biggio walked
C.Biggio was caught stealing second (P.LoDuca-c to M.Grudzielanek-ss)
S.Javier struck out
J.Bagwell struck out
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 0, Astros 4.

DODGERS 3RD: 
E.Young walked
M.Grudzielanek struck out
M.Hampton threw a wild pitch [E.Young to second]
R.Mondesi singled to left field [E.Young scored, R.Mondesi to second 
  (error by D.Ward-lf)
E.Karros grounded out (K.Caminiti-3b to J.Bagwell-1b) [R.Mondesi to third]
D.White struck out
1 R, 1 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 4.

ASTROS 3RD: 
C.Everett struck out
K.Caminiti homered to rightfield (it was the 2-1 pitch)
D.Ward flied to D.White-cf
T.Eusebio flied to R.Mondesi-rf
1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

DODGERS 4TH: 
A.Beltre grounded out (K.Caminiti-3b to J.Bagwell-1b)
T.Hubbard struck out
P.LoDuca popped to C.Biggio-2b in foul territory
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 4TH: 
R.Gutierrez grounded out (A.Beltre-3b to E.Karros-1b)
M.Hampton struck out
C.Biggio doubled to right field
S.Javier struck out
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

DODGERS 5TH: 
T.CROMER BATTED FOR M.HERGES
T.Cromer walked
E.Young forced T.Cromer (C.Biggio-2b to R.Gutierrez-ss) [E.Young to first]
M.Grudzielanek flied to C.Everett-cf
E.Young stole second
R.Mondesi grounded out (R.Gutierrez-ss to J.Bagwell-1b)
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 5.

ASTROS 5TH: 
O.MASAOKA REPLACED T.CROMER (PITCHING)
J.Bagwell walked
J.Bagwell stole second
C.Everett singled to right field
K.Caminiti struck out
M.MIESKE BATTED FOR D.WARD
M.Mieske walked [J.Bagwell to third, C.Everett to second]
J.ARNOLD REPLACED O.MASAOKA (PITCHING)
G.BARKER RAN FOR M.MIESKE
T.Eusebio grounded out (E.Young-2b to E.Karros-1b) 
  [J.Bagwell scored, C.Everett to third, G.Barker to second]
R.Gutierrez grounded out (J.Arnold-p to E.Karros-1b)
1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 6.

DODGERS 6TH: 
S.JAVIER CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING LF)
C.EVERETT CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING RF)
G.BARKER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF)
E.Karros grounded out (R.Gutierrez-ss to J.Bagwell-1b)
D.White grounded out (J.Bagwell-1b unassisted)
A.Beltre struck out
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 6.

ASTROS 6TH: 
M.Hampton singled to right field
C.Biggio out on a sacrifice bunt (J.Arnold-p to E.Karros-1b) 
  [M.Hampton to second]
S.Javier doubled to center field [M.Hampton scored]
J.Arnold threw a wild pitch [S.Javier to third]
J.Bagwell reached on an error by J.Arnold-p [S.Javier scored, 
  J.Bagwell to first]
C.Everett struck out
K.Caminiti walked [J.Bagwell to second]
P.BORBON REPLACED J.ARNOLD (PITCHING)
G.Barker singled to center field [J.Bagwell scored (unearned), 
  K.Caminiti to second]
T.Eusebio struck out
3 R (2 ER), 3 H, 1 E, 2 LOB. Dodgers 1, Astros 9.

DODGERS 7TH: 
T.Hubbard grounded out (K.Caminiti-3b to J.Bagwell-1b)
P.LoDuca grounded out (K.Caminiti-3b to J.Bagwell-1b)
J.VIZCAINO BATTED FOR P.BORBON
J.Vizcaino singled to third base
E.Young flied to C.Everett-rf
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 9.

ASTROS 7TH: 
A.MILLS REPLACED J.VIZCAINO (PITCHING)
R.Gutierrez flied to R.Mondesi-rf
B.SPIERS BATTED FOR M.HAMPTON
B.Spiers struck out
C.Biggio struck out
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 9.

DODGERS 8TH: 
J.CABRERA REPLACED B.SPIERS (PITCHING)
M.Grudzielanek struck out
R.Mondesi singled to right field
E.Karros flied to G.Barker-cf
D.White struck out
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 9.

ASTROS 8TH: 
M.MADDUX REPLACED A.MILLS (PITCHING)
S.Javier grounded out (E.Young-2b to E.Karros-1b)
J.Bagwell singled to center field
C.Everett struck out
M.Maddux threw a wild pitch [J.Bagwell to second]
K.Caminiti walked
G.Barker grounded out (E.Young-2b to E.Karros-1b)
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Dodgers 1, Astros 9.

DODGERS 9TH: 
J.POWELL REPLACED J.CABRERA (PITCHING)
A.Beltre singled to shortstop
T.Hubbard walked [A.Beltre to second]
P.LoDuca popped to J.Bagwell-1b
D.HANSEN BATTED FOR M.MADDUX
D.Hansen doubled to left field [A.Beltre scored, T.Hubbard scored, 
  D.Hansen to third (error by G.Barker-cf)]
E.Young popped to C.Biggio-2b
M.Grudzielanek singled to center field [D.Hansen scored]
M.Grudzielanek advanced to second because of defensive indifference 
  [M.Grudzielanek to second]
R.Mondesi struck out
3 R, 3 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Dodgers 4, Astros 9.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Dodgers          4   7   1   8
 Astros           9   8   2   9