Indians Knuckle Under In 11th

Tom Candiotti's knuckleball was so good the Houston Astros couldn't even hit it.

Unfortunately for the Cleveland Indians, Candiotti's knuckler danced a little too well. His wild pitch in the bottom of the 11th inning allowed the winning run to score, giving the Houston Astros their eighth straight win, 3-2 Monday night.

"I thought I had an `A' knuckler going tonight," Candiotti said. "The one that hit (Tim) Bogar just sailed up and in on him. It's just one of those things, but my knuckler was really good."

Houston loaded the bases when pinch-hitter Carlos Hernandez laid down a bunt and reached when Candiotti failed to get Spiers at third. With Craig Biggio at the plate Candiotti then threw a wild pitch on a 1-0 count, allowing Spiers to score.

"On that (bunt) play I have to rely on the catcher," Candiotti said. "It's my job to get the ball and I thought I heard him say `go to third' but I was going to go that way anyway. It's a do or die play in that situation and it's a gamble you have to take."

The Astros were glad to get the win any way they could.

"I caught a break when he hit me," said Bogar, who had two unsuccessful bunt attempts. "You know things are going your way when you load the bases without a hit and score the winning run without getting a ball out of the infield."

The Astros improved to 12-2 in interleague play after winning the first two games between the Central Division leaders. Cleveland has lost a season-high four straight.

"This is the worst stretch we've had offensively all season," Cleveland manager Mike Hargrove said. "I don't think it's anything in particular I think it's just baseball."

Jose Cabrera (3-0) struck out the side in the 11th for the win.

The Indians had their streak of scoreless innings snapped at 17 when Roberto Alomar hit a two-run homer off Astros relieveJay Powell in the eighth inning to tie it at 2.

Houston starter Chris Holt pitched seven shutout innings, allowing four singles and one walk while striking out six. Holt did not allow a baserunner to reach third base but has won only once in 21 starts since Aug. 21, 1997.

Mike Hampton pitched a four-hit shutout in the opener on Sunday and Astros starters have allowed no runs in 16 innings against Cleveland.

"Chris pitched probably his best game of the season even if he didn't get a win to show for it," Astros manager Larry Dierker said.

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the third when Richard Hidalgo snapped a 1-for-14 streak with a two-run double.

With one out Biggio singled to left and moved to second on Jeff Bagwell's two-out single to left. Hidalgo drove a 2-1 pitch from Cleveland starter Mark Langston to the gap in left center to score Biggio and Bagwell.

Langston allowed two runs, four hits and six walks in six innings.

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