Expos 8, Astros 7

Sunday, May 21, 2000 | 10:39 a.m.

Hideki Irabu (2-3) allowed six hits and three runs in six innings for his first victory in his last seven starts. Irabu also drove in a run for the first time in his career with a single in the second inning.

Montreal built an 8-2 lead through five innings before Houston pulled close by scoring four runs off three Expos relievers.

Dustin Hermanson allowed Houston's last two runs, but earned his third save by getting the final three outs.

Bergeron hit his third homer off Scott Elarton (2-1) in the first, doubled in the second, walked in the fourth, and hit a run-scoring single in the fifth. Needing a triple to complete the cycle, Bergeron grounded to short in the seventh.

White doubled in each of his first three at-bats to tie a team record shared by 26 players, and drove in two runs. He grounded out and popped out in his last two plate appearances.

Houston's Craig Biggio left the game after his right hand was spiked by second baseman Jose Vidro while stealing his eighth base of the season in the first.

Moises Alou's RBI single gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the first, but Bergeron's leadoff homer in the bottom half tied the game. One out later, White doubled and, after Vladimir Guerrero grounded to short, Lee Stevens hit a two-out RBI double to put Montreal ahead 2-1.

The Expos scored four unearned runs off Elarton in the second. Orlando Cabrera reached as Russ Johnson, who pinch-ran for Biggio in the first and stayed in the game at second base, bobbled his grounder for an error.

Cabrera stole second and, one out later, scored to make it 3-1 on Irabu's single to right. Bergeron's double advanced Irabu to third and Jose Vidro followed with a sacrifice fly to right. White hit the first of two straight RBI doubles and Guerrero hit a run-scoring single to increase Montreal's lead to 6-1.

Houston drew to 6-2 when Ken Caminiti led off the fourth with a towering shot to right for his ninth homer.

White's RBI double in the fourth chased Elarton, who allowed seven runs - though just three earned - in three-plus innings.

The Expos increased their lead to 8-2 on Bergeron's RBI single off reliever Mike Maddux in the fifth.

Houston's Mitch Meluskey had an RBI single in the sixth, Johnson hit a run-scoring single off reliever Felipe Lira in the seventh, and Bill Spiers hit his first home run of the year to lead off the ninth, bringing on Hermanson. Notes: Biggio had a cut on the back of his right hand stitched and watched the rest of the game from the Astros' dugout. ... Astros manager Larry Dierker is two wins away from his 300th career win. Dierker has a 298-228 mark since becoming Houston's manager following the 1996 season. ... The win gave the Expos their eighth series in their last 10. ... White is the second Expo with three doubles in a game this season. Vidro did it against Arizona on Wednesday. ... LHP Jim Poole and RHP Guillermo Mota both joined the Expos on Saturday. Poole, 33, was signed by Montreal as a free agent Friday after being released by Detroit two days earlier. Mota was recalled from Triple-A Ottawa when RHP Anthony Telford was placed on the 15-day DL Friday with tendinitis in his right shoulder. INF Trace Coquillette was optioned to Ottawa, and C Bob Henley was moved from the 15-day to 60-day disabled list to make room for Poole on the 40-man roster.