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Monday, August 7, 2000

Associated Press
Houston Astros Chris Truby is congratulated at home plate
by teammates Richard Hidalgo, left, and Jeff Bagwell after
hitting a grand slam in the third inning against the
Montreal Expos last night.

Truby tees off
with grand slam

---

Star-Bulletin wire services

HOUSTON -- Hawaii's Chris Truby, trying to earn a job for next season, is making a case for himself.

"I just want to go out and give them something to look at," the rookie said after hitting his first grand slam and driving in a career-high six runs yesterday in the Houston Astros' 8-1 win over the Montreal Expos. "Hopefully, I'll play well enough to at least get a shot next year."

Truby, the former Damien star who came up to the Astros June 16 after Ken Caminiti injured a wrist, homered twice in three at-bats Friday, then didn't play Saturday because of a bruised wrist.

"He knows there's an opportunity here to put himself in position to go for a spot next spring training," manager Larry Dierker said. "One game won't do it and one series won't do it.

"He hit well earlier and then had a little slump. But he's been doing it with his fielding and his hitting lately. It takes a long time to judge but his stock is going up again."

The third baseman was 5-for-6 in the series.

Chris Truby
HOUSTON ASTROS
"Hitting a grand slam in the
majors is a dream."

"The last few days have been unbelievable," he said. "Hitting a grand slam in the majors is a dream. I just don't want to put any pressure on myself the rest of the way."

He put plenty of pressure on the Expos.

"That guy has beaten us twice," manager Felipe Alou said. "We didn't know much about him, but now we know a lot about him. He's a good hitter and fielder. He's going to be a good player."

Karl coming back

The Colorado Rockies activated LHP Scott Karl from the 15-day disabled list.

ASTROS 8, EXPOS 1

MONTREAL					HOUSTON
	ab	r	h	bi		ab	r	h	bi
Bergeron cf	4	1	1	0	Spiers 2b	4	1	0	0
Webster c	0	0	0	0	Lugo ss	5	1	1	0
Vidro 2b	4	0	0	0	Bagwell 1b	5	2	4	1
Tracy 3b	2	0	1	1	Berkman lf	3	1	1	0
VGuerrero rf	4	0	0	0	GBarker cf	1	0	0	0
LStevens 1b	4	0	1	0	Alou rf	3	1	1	0
Blum ss	4	0	0	0	Hidalgo cf	3	1	2	1
Widger c	3	0	0	0	Truby 3b	3	1	3	6
Forster p	0	0	0	0	RChavez c	3	0	0	0
WGuerrero lf	3	0	1	0	Elarton p	4	0	0	0
Thurman p	1	0	0	0
MJJohnson p	0	0	0	0
Seguignol lf	0	0	0	0
Totals	29	1	4	1	Totals	34	8	12	8

Montreal	100	000	000--1
Houston	005	010	11x--8

DP--Montreal 1. LOB--Montreal 5, Houston 8. 2B--Bergeron (19), Tracy (1), Bagwell (24), Truby (6). HR--Truby (4). CS--GBarker (4). S--Thurman. SF--Tracy.

Montreal

	ip	h	r	er	bb	so
Thurman L,2-3	5	8	6	6	3	4
MJJohnson	2	3	1	1	1	2
Forster	1	1	1	1	1	1

Houston

	ip	h	r	er	bb	so
Elarton W,12-4	9	4	1	1	1	3

HBP--by Elarton (Seguignol), by Thurman (Hidalgo). WP--Forster.

Umpires--Home, Van Vleet; First, Marsh; Second, Barksdale; Third, Kulpa.

T--2:45. A--36,882.