1.   Baltimore was the beneficiary of two bloop hits in its three-run fourth.

2.   A bloop hit tied the score for the Astros in the third inning.

3.   Butler, whose bloop hit Tuesday was caught by Reds shortstop Pokey Reese in left field, had joked Monday about his notoriously weak arm.

4.   Gary DiSarcina, a bloop hit over the infield, scoring Hollins.

5.   Glavine allowed only a bloop hit over the next two innings and recorded two of his five strikeouts.

6.   Harkey, whose status in the starting rotation has had its tenuous moments, gave up three runs -- on several bloop hits -- in the first two innings.

7.   He can play shallow and still go back and catch balls, while taking away all bloop hits and all line drives in front of him.

8.   He was near the top of his game, only yielding a few bloop hits.

9.   Johnson led off the home ninth with a bloop hit, his third single of the game, and he was replaced by pinch-runner Josh Paul.

10.   The center fielder Jay Payton will play shallow and take away bloop hits, challenging hitters to drive the ball over his head.