Astros’ Biggio Hits for the Cycle

DENVER — With a single, triple and home run in his first three at-bats, Craig Biggio knew what he had to do.

After being walked intentionally in his next plate appearance, Biggio lined a two-run double down the left-field line, completing the cycle and helping the Houston Astros to an 8-4 victory Monday in the Colorado Rockies’ home opener.

Biggio, who drove in four runs, put the Astros ahead, 8-1, with his double in the eighth.

“Well, you know what you need,” Biggio said of his last at-bat. “But the last thing you’re trying to do is hit a double. I was just trying to hit the ball hard. That’s what I’m trying to do every time up.

“It’s a special day. It’s a lucky day when something like that happens. I caught a couple of breaks with the ball staying inside the line [on his double and triple]. It’s kind of cool.”

Biggio, who entered the game hitting .174 (four for 23), went four for four with a two-run homer, triple, two-run double and single to raise his average to .296. It was the first cycle of his 13-year career and the sixth in Astro history.