MIAMI--Before yesterday, Miami hadn't been a very hospitable place for Shane Reynolds.

Reynolds, who had only one victory in seven previous career starts at Florida, become the first NL starter with five wins, leading the Houston Astors over the Marlins, 3-2.

Houston, which got two RBIs from Carl Everett, has won four straight and six of seven, sweeping the Marlins for the first time in a threegame series. Florida lost its fifth straight.

"A couple of years ago, I pitched a good game and lose to Kevin Brown 2-1, then a couple of bad games", Reynolds said. "I don't know, it's just something".

Marlins starter Alex Fernandez (1-2) had another setback in his comeback from shoulder surgery that sidelined him all of last season and sent him to the disabled list again last month.

In his fourth start of the year--his second since returning from the DL--Fernandez left in the second inning with a pulled right groin and will go on the disabled list today.

Athletics 7, Red Sox 5

OAKLAND, Calif.--Not one of the Oakland Athletics asked Tom Candiotti how to get a hit off Boston's Tim Wakefield before yesterday's meeting of the two knuckleballers.

It was just as well. Neither starter fared well, and the A's ended up winning 7-5 after Jason Giambi's go-ahead two-run single in the sixth inning-long after Wakefield had left the game.

With Boston leading 5-4 in the sixth following John Valentin's three-run homer, Giambi hit a bases-loaded single off Jim Corsi, who had relieved Tim Harikkala (1-1). One out later, Olmedo Saenz added an RBI double.

Yankees 9, Royals 8 KANSAS CITY, Mo.-If Hideki Irabu is going to pitch like this, Rodger Clemens had better get well in a hurry.

Making his first start of the year because Clemens went on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, Irabu was pounded for 11 hits--including three home runs--and left trailing 6-2.

But the New York Yankees rallied for five runs in the sixth inning and Bernie Williams hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth for a 9-8 victory over Kansas City.