NATIONAL LEAGUE Miller finds his rhythm against Pirates

The effort by Astros pitcher Wade Miller even impressed the Bucs' batters.
HOUSTON (AP) -- Wade Miller felt perfect against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Miller retired the first 16 batters he faced and won for the first time in seven starts this season as the Houston Astros beat the Pirates 8-1 Monday night.
"It's the best I've felt this year," Miller said. "Everything just seemed to be working."
Miller did not allow a batter to reach base until Pokey Reese singled up the middle on an 0-2 pitch with one out in the sixth. The right-hander allowed three hits and a walk in eight innings, striking out four in his first victory since Sept. 21 at St. Louis.
"He is believing in himself and we believe in him. He has been working hard on the side to correct his problems and it certainly paid off tonight," manager Jimy Williams said.
Limiting the Bucs
Miller (1-3) also gave up a one-out single to Randall Simon in the seventh and a solo homer to Matt Stairs in the eighth. Nate Bland and Ricky Stone finished the four-hitter.
"Before today, I was just getting too quick with my delivery," Miller said. "I wasn't staying behind the ball. I worked on it in the bullpen and got it figured out. Hopefully, I've found [the problem] and can stay there."
The Astros were glad to see Miller back in top form. He went 15-4 last season.
"It was fun to play behind him," Geoff Blum said. "That's the guy we've come to know and love. He worked hard on his off days and it was nice to see him pitching the way he can."
The Pirates were impressed.
"He had good stuff," manager Lloyd McClendon. "He hit his spots. He had great command and his breaking ball was sharp."
Pittsburgh's Reggie Sanders went 0-for-3.
"He was obviously very effective," Sanders said of Miller. "He spotted it in and out and kept hitters off balance. He had good control.
"I'm not going to say this is the best game I've ever seen him pitch, but it's one of the best."
Long ball
Stairs' home run to center field was estimated at 461 feet, the longest in Minute Maid Park history.
Pirates starter Kris Benson (3-4) was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in only 21/3 innings, his fourth loss in five starts.
Richard Hidalgo went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs for the Astros. Blum hit his second home run in the first.
Blum's sacrifice fly in the third drove in Miller, and Bagwell followed with a two-run homer to tie him with Milwaukee's Richie Sexson for the NL lead.
Hidalgo's two-run double made it 6-0 and chased Benson, who was replaced by Brian Meadows. The hit was Hidalgo's fifth straight and the seventh consecutive time he reached base, including two walks.
Hidalgo's RBI single in the seventh made it 7-0.
Stairs' home run, his first of the season, broke a 25-inning scoreless streak for the Pirates at Minute Maid Park. The last two times they were here last July 27-28, they were blanked 3-0 and 4-0.
Craig Biggio added an RBI single in the eighth for Houston.