Hampton Wins 18th For Astros

After returning from a three-month stint on the disabled list, Ken Caminiti is starting to produce like he can.

Caminiti homered twice and drove in six runs and Mike Hampton pitched seven strong innings for his 18th victory Friday night to lead the Houston Astros to a 8-1 win over the Montreal Expos.

Caminiti hit his seventh homer off Dan Smith (4-7) leading off the second and hit a two-run shot in the ninth. He added a sacrifice fly in the third and a two-run single in the seventh.

It was Caminiti's 18th career multihomer game and second this season.

"He had a great game," Hampton said. "It seemed like if the other pitcher made a mistake, he made him pay for it. He's getting back to where we need him to be at this time."

Hampton (18-3) won his ninth straight decision to join teammate Jose Lima as the only 18-game winners in the NL. Boston's Pedro Martinez leads the majors with 19 wins.

He admitted that a 20-win season is in his sights.

"Of course you'd like to do it," Hampton said. "It's a tough league. You never can count on wins, they're just things that happen."

The NL Central-leading Astros moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds who lost at Philadelphia.

Hampton allowed seven hits, including Vladimir Guerrero's 34th homer leading off the fourth. He struck out five and walked three as he lowered his ERA to 2.92

"The team needs to win these games," Hampton said. "The Reds are on our heels. We've got to go out and battle for everything we've got."

Montreal lost for just the second time in its last six games.

Caminiti's first homer gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the second.

"He's a good hitter," Smith said. "The pitch that I threw him that he hit out was actually a good pitch. ... You've got to tip your hat to the guy. He's powerful and he drove it out of the park."

Houston added two in the third to go up 3-0 on Jeff Bagwell's RBI double and Caminiti's sacrifice fly.

Guerrero homered down the right field line in the fourth to draw Montreal within 3-1. But Caminiti singled off reliever Anthony Telford with two outs in the seventh to drive in two and put the Astros ahead 5-1.

Caminiti's eighth homer in the ninth off Scott Strickland made it 8-1.

Smith allowed five runs three earned and six hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Notes