ASTROS PUZZLE NOMO : PITCHER FALLS TO 1-4 VS. HOUSTON HOUSTON 2, DODGERS 1.

Byline: Kevin Acee Daily News Staff Writer

The Houston Astros didn't rock Hideo Nomo this time. But, of course, they beat him.

With aggressive running and help from Nomo's scattered wildness, the Astros beat the Dodgers 2-1 Saturday in front of 46,244 at Dodger Stadium. It was the fourth time in five meetings they have beaten Nomo.

The Astros' Darryl Kile scattered seven hits in eight innings for the victory to even his record at 1-1. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his fifth save in five opportunities.

Nomo, mostly effective throughout his 6-2/3 innings, allowed a walk and a hit in both innings the Astros scored on him. He struck out nine and allowed four hits. Both runs were earned, and he is now 1-4 against Houston.

In his four previous starts against the Astros, Nomo allowed 15 earned runs in 22 innings for a 6.14 ERA, his highest against any team by almost three runs.

In contrast, he is 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA against Atlanta. His no-hitter last season against the Colorado Rockies is just part of his 4-0 record against them. He has winning records against St. Louis and San Diego. But the Astros have, in the words of Dodgers pitching coach Dave Wallace, ``given him fits.'' They are one of just three teams to have a winning record against Nomo in his two seasons. He is 1-2 against Philadelphia and New York.

There is no explanation for such discrepancies.

``Don't you think if we had an answer we'd have corrected it?'' Wallace asked with an impatient smile.

The Astros had some theories before the game.

``We don't know if we caught him when he wasn't throwing good or what,'' manager Larry Dierker said.

``I think it's more aggressiveness than anything else,'' said Jeff Bagwell, who entered Saturday's game with a .556 average against Nomo, then singled in his first two at-bats. ``More than anything else, our plan has always been to get a fastball and hit it. You try to lay off his forkball.''

The Astros, evidently, have just been able to follow the game plan of ignoring the forkball better than others.

``You've got to hit the fastball,'' Bagwell said. ``But if you get too aggressive, then you swing at the forkball. And you're not going to hit it. That pitch is too good.''

In the sixth inning, after hitting two two singles off Nomo, Bagwell went down swinging on a forkball. The nasty kind.

Bagwell theorized before the game that Nomo has two types of forkballs - the one he uses in the middle of the count and the one he uses for the strikeout.

``The one he throws hard, you've got no chance,'' said Bagwell, who upped his lifetime average against Nomo to .583 (7 for 13).

But the Astros benefited none from Bagwell's hits. Without getting a hit, it was Bill Spiers who did much of the damage.

Nomo made it through four innings looking like he was going to shut down the Astros and improve to 3-0 on the season. Bagwell was the only Astros batter to get a hit until the fifth inning.

The Dodgers gave Nomo a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Eric Karros led off with a single and made it to second when his hit skipped past left fielder Luis Gonzalez. On Todd Hollandsworth's fly ball to Gonzalez, Karros took third. He scored on Todd Zeile's single.

Nomo sat through the seven-batter bottom of the fourth and struck out Russ Johnson to start the fifth. But he walked Spiers. Then, No. 8 hitter Brad Ausmus doubled down the left-field line, and Spiers never stopped until he crossed home plate with the game tied 1-1.

Nomo started the seventh by walking Bob Abreu, who stole second. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Spiers' grounder to second base.

The Dodgers' rallied in the eighth inning when Mike Piazza drew a leadoff walk, his second of the night. After Karros fouled out to third base, Todd Hollandsworth reached on an error by Craig Biggio that also enabled Piazza to get to second. But Todd Zeile grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Greg Gagne led off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle. It was his second hit of the night, extending his multiple-hit streak to six games. Pinch-hitter Tom Prince laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Gagne to second and bring up Brett Butler.

Gagne went to third in Butler's grounder to shortstop. But he was stranded at game's end when pinch-hitter Billy Ashley flew out to deep right field.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell lets Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo tag him out at home during the fourth inning.

(2) Craig Biggio of the Astros forces out Raul Mondesi at second base during the third inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium.

John McCoy/Daily News