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Anderson burns former team as Braves trounce Astros

Sep 28, 2008 - 3:28 AM By Jeremy Rakes PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Josh Anderson is making the Houston Astros regret trading him during the offseason.

Anderson went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI as the Atlanta Braves rolled to an 11-5 triumph over the Astros on Saturday.

Atlanta jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Anderson, who was acquired from Houston for reliever Oscar Villarreal last winter, led off the game with a home run off Brandon Backe - a shot that hit the left field foul pole - and Brandon Jones drove in a pair of runs with a double.

"It was not something I was trying to do," Anderson said of the two-homer night. "It feels great. I really respect the Astros organization. It just felt good to do good against the Astros."

The Braves broke open the game with a six-run second. Anderson extended the lead with a two-run blast to right and Jeff Francoeur delivered a three-run double to make it 8-0.

"It was nice to get off to the 9-0 lead," Francoeur said. "We had a lot of big hits. I finally got a hit with the bases loaded. This is what you want to take into the offseason."

"When Brandon missed, he missed up," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "You can't miss up. He needs to be more consistent. He didn't have control. I think we counted like three or four first-pitch strikes in the first 10 batters. He didn't have his control."

Vladimir Nunez (1-2) retired all five batters he faced in relief of James Parr to notch the win.

Hunter Pence got Houston on the board with a solo homer to right in the second and Lance Berkman hit an RBI single in the third to cut the deficit to 9-2. Mark Saccomanno added an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth to get the Astros within six.

Back-to-back doubles by Michael Bourn and Miguel Tejada in the fifth made it 9-4, and Parr was chased after Geoff Blum hit a one-out RBI single to close the gap to four.

"I wish I could give you something positive, but it was hard to come back from 9-0," Cooper said. "The relief was good in the middle, and the guys fought hard. We kept it interesting. I thought we had a chance to get closer. You got to give them credit tonight."

Parr lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, eight hits and two walks.

"Every time he threw a breaking ball tonight, it seemed up. He was all right," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He had a pretty good outing. It was good to win the last one. He had some good hitting behind him."

Backe (9-14) struggled, surrendering eight runs and eight hits with a walk and a strikeout in just 1 1/3 innings. It marked the fourth time in his last eight starts that Backe gave up five or more runs and the second straight outing in which he failed to get past the second frame.

"I don't have the crispness of each pitch," Backe said. "I hate to leave the ballpark like this. Not after throwing just two innings in my last start of the year. My mind says one thing, but my arm says another. I'm not trying to give any excuses. I am tired. I can't get my fastball by anyone. When I throw it inside, the guy hits it hard foul."

Speculation over whether Backe will be back with the Astros next season already has started.

"I loved my time here. I am from here," Backe said. "It has been great, but when reality strikes, I think they are going to get rid of me. It's not up to me. I'm going to work hard in the offseason for next year, whether it is with the Astros or not."