Coming back

The Pirates' comeback against Houston last night for a season-opening 4-2 victory reminded me, in a way, of another game against the Astros.

I was driving home on the afternoon of July 28, 2001, listening on the radio to the Pirates getting crushed in the first game of a doubleheader. Four runs in the eighth and ninth off Pittsburgh reliever Omar Olivares put the Astros up 8-2, and with two quick outs in the bottom half of the inning, everyone involved started getting ready for the day's second game.

Then Kevin Young doubled and Pat Meares hit what probably was his last home run as a Pirate. Adam Hyzdu singled. Tike Redman walked, and Jack Wilson singled to score Hyzdu.

At that point, the Astros brought in relief ace Billy Wagner, who promptly hit Jason Kendall (a perennial leader in that category) to load the bases and bring the potential winning run to the plate.

The hitter was Brian Giles, who happened to be the Pirates' All-Star representative in '01. He showed why by belting the ball into the PNC Park stands for one of the rare instances of an "ultimate grand slam" (a bases-loaded home run to win a game by one run).

Giles' home run came just as I was pulling into the driveway, and I remember running into the house to tell whomever.

When Jason Bay's 10th-inning homer won it for the Pirates last night, I had pretty much dozed off on the couch, and I went to bed shortly afterward.

Well, overcoming a 2-0 deficit isn't exactly like winning after trailing by six. Plus, I'm almost six years older now!