Spring Break
Former teammates still reeling from news
Aditya Godse
Issue date: 6/27/02 Section: Sports
(U-WIRE) HOUSTON - The Houston Astros steered things back toward normalcy Sunday afternoon as those closest to Darryl Kile returned to the lineup and, for a few hours, attempted to dry their tears and set aside their smothering grief.
Kile, a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and a former Astro himself, died Saturday from what is believed to have been a heart attack.
Astros Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus and Craig Biggio did not start Saturday, though they all played at least part of the game.
On at least one level, they succeeded - they played. If nothing else, it all had a familiar look and feel.
Once more, the starting pitching dug the Astros an early hole, and the Seattle Mariners rode seven impressive innings by Joel Piñeiro and an array of offensive stars to a 10-5 victory over the Astros in front of 32,584 at Minute Maid Park.
Afterward, the Astros milled around a quiet clubhouse, looking only slightly less dazed than the day before when they learned their former teammate had been found dead in his Chicago hotel room.
The death of former teammate and close friend Darryl Kile hit too close to home for the Astros, many of whom had to choke back tears when speaking of the St. Louis pitcher late Saturday night.
Some, like first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who drove in the game-winning run in Saturday's game against the Mariners with a pinch single in the 12th inning, couldn't speak at all.
Sunday, Bagwell addressed the press in regard to respecting the memory of his friend Kile. Things probably won't get better for a few days.
"The memories that I have, the memories that I've shared with other people - I loved Darryl Kile," Bagwell said.
The Astros were given the day off Monday to collect themselves before the ball club begins a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday.
By then, several players will be preparing to attend Kile's funeral, and everyone else will still be coping with his stunning death.
Kile, a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals and a former Astro himself, died Saturday from what is believed to have been a heart attack.
Astros Jeff Bagwell, Brad Ausmus and Craig Biggio did not start Saturday, though they all played at least part of the game.
On at least one level, they succeeded - they played. If nothing else, it all had a familiar look and feel.
Once more, the starting pitching dug the Astros an early hole, and the Seattle Mariners rode seven impressive innings by Joel Piñeiro and an array of offensive stars to a 10-5 victory over the Astros in front of 32,584 at Minute Maid Park.
Afterward, the Astros milled around a quiet clubhouse, looking only slightly less dazed than the day before when they learned their former teammate had been found dead in his Chicago hotel room.
The death of former teammate and close friend Darryl Kile hit too close to home for the Astros, many of whom had to choke back tears when speaking of the St. Louis pitcher late Saturday night.
Some, like first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who drove in the game-winning run in Saturday's game against the Mariners with a pinch single in the 12th inning, couldn't speak at all.
Sunday, Bagwell addressed the press in regard to respecting the memory of his friend Kile. Things probably won't get better for a few days.
"The memories that I have, the memories that I've shared with other people - I loved Darryl Kile," Bagwell said.
The Astros were given the day off Monday to collect themselves before the ball club begins a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday.
By then, several players will be preparing to attend Kile's funeral, and everyone else will still be coping with his stunning death.
