Andy Benes lasted just 3 innings for the 1999 Arizona Diamondbacks, and all 3 relievers also gave up runs as the 1998 Houston Astros scored 15 runs on 19 hits to take Game 1 of the series. Sean Berry and Moisés Alou hit 2-run homers off Benes, who allowed 7 runs on 8 hits in his short start. Brian Anderson nearly got out of the 4th, but walked Carl Everett to load the bases with 2 outs and then gave up a 2-run single to Richard Hidalgo and a 2-run double to Ricky Gutiérrez. The Astros scored 2 more runs off Todd Stottlemyre in the 8th, and another 2 runs off Darren Holmes in the 9th. Seven Houston hitters had 2 or more hits, led by Gutiérrez, who went 4 for 5 with 3 RBI and was a home run short of the cycle. Houston’s Shane Reynolds wasn’t sharp, but did enough, allowing 5 runs on 12 hits in 6 innings to pick up the win. The teams face off in the Astrodome again tomorrow. Arizona will be without slugger Luis Gonzalez, who collided with the wall in the 9th inning.