They stood throughout Minute Maid Park in the sixth inning Tuesday night, focused on Craig Biggio at the plate. In the home dugout and in the stands, they craved one of those storybook moments that rarely materialize the way fans and players envision.
Only six hours after Biggio had shown gratitude for being able to write his own retirement script and announcing this will be his last season as a major league player, the Astros icon added the perfect ending to his monumental day.
The bases were loaded, and the score was tied. The crowd of 38,247 was on its feet and sending a raucous echo through Minute Maid Park. Biggio rewarded his fans with a grand slam into the Crawford Boxes.
With that homer off righthander Rudy Seanez, Biggio pushed the Astros to a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers that tied their three-game series heading into tonight's finale.
"I didn't even feel like I was touching the bases at times," said Biggio, 41, who will retire after his 20th season, all in Houston. "It was just a magical, magical day.
"I topped it off with an unbelievable ending."
Like an obedient servant to the adoring masses, Biggio responded to the "B-G-O! B-G-O!" chants by tipping his cap during a curtain call.
After trailing 3-1, the Astros scored six runs in the sixth to take a 7-3 lead. That outburst made a winner out of righthander Jason Jennings (2-6), who gave up three runs on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts over six innings.
"Leave it to (Biggio) to announce his retirement and hit a grand slam the same day — a game-winning grand slam," Jennings said after snapping a career-high five-game losing streak with his first victory at Minute Maid Park. "It was definitely a great memory that not only he'll have; he gave all of us a great memory tonight."
Jennings, who allowed all his runs in the second inning, was lifted for Mike Lamb, who drew the walk that loaded the bases for Biggio.
The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the first against Dodgers lefthander Mark Hendrickson. Mark Loretta set up the run with a one-out double to center and reached third on Lance Berkman's groundout to second. After Carlos Lee was intentionally walked, Loretta scored when Hendrickson uncorked a wild pitch on a 2-1 offering to Morgan Ensberg.
The lead was erased when former Astro Jeff Kent led off the second with a home run into the Crawford Boxes to tie the score. Luis Gonzalez, another former Astro, followed with a single to right against Jennings.
Gonzalez stole second, and Nomar Garciaparra drew a walk. Elkins High graduate James Loney followed with an RBI double off the wall in left field. Andre Ethier made it 3-1 with an RBI groundout.
Berkman led off the sixth with a single through the left side. Lee followed with a ground-rule double to right, prompting the Dodgers to call on the bullpen.
Ensberg greeted Seanez (6-2) with a two-run double down the left-field line, tying the score at 3.
"To do something positive, that's great," Ensberg said. "It's been a very difficult year for me, and I refuse to give up and (will) continue to try to fight and battle.
"It was great to have that ball just inch down the line. I can't tell you how happy I was."
After Jason Lane walked, Ensberg was forced out at third on Eric Bruntlett's fielder's choice.
Eric Munson fouled out to third, but Lamb kept the inning alive with a walk to load the bases. Biggio followed with his second grand slam of the season and the fourth of his career.
"I went up to (Biggio) and told him to hit home plate and run directly out of the stadium," Ensberg said. "You just hit a grand slam on the day you said you were retiring. It's downhill from here."
Russell Martin hit an RBI double in the eighth inning off Dan Wheeler to cut the Astros' lead to 7-4. Though allowing two runners in the ninth, Brad Lidge earned his fourth save, sealing the victory on Biggio's night.
"It was crazy," Biggio said. "Once again, what do you say? Emotionally, it was a tough day. But to be able to have that happen, I mean, that's just (nuts).
"I still think I'm going to die early because of this stuff this year that's happened. It's kind of nuts. It was a special, special night."
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