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CHICAGO -- Speedy rookie Willy Taveras is known for infield singles and bunt hits, not doubles.

He suddenly abandoned his small-ball way in Game 1 of the World Series, though, twice leading off with doubles when the Houston Astros were trailing. The Astros and the original "Killer Bs" just couldn't take advantage.

Taveras was stranded in scoring position in the sixth and eighth innings Saturday night as Houston lost 5-3 to the Chicago White Sox.

With the Astros down 4-3, Taveras led off the sixth with his first double and didn't move from there. Lance Berkman popped out to first base, and Morgan Ensberg and Mike Lamb grounded out.

The score was unchanged when Taveras started the eighth with another double. He got to third on a single by Lance Berkman before three straight strikeouts, the last by Jeff Bagwell.

Taveras led the Astros in the regular season with 172 hits, the most by a rookie in the major leagues. All but 20 of those hits were singles.

Bagwell and Craig Biggio, the original "Killer Bs," waited 15 seasons together to finally play in the World Series. The first experience ended up being sour.

Bagwell, a sentimental choice at designated hitter, was twice hit by pitches in his first start since May 3. But in the eighth with two on, in the kind of situations manager Phil Garner had hoped he could produce, Bagwell struck out swinging against Bobby Jenks, fouling off a couple of pitches before swinging through a 100 mph fastball.

Since returning Sept. 9 from right shoulder surgery that forced him to miss 115 games, Bagwell had been limited to pinch-hitting duties. Still, Garner said he felt Bagwell was the right person to be the designated hitter. v

Biggio finished 1-for-4 in his first World Series game after 2,564 career games, the longest any player has ever gone before finally getting into the Fall Classic. After grounding out in his first at-bat, Biggio singled and scored in the third.

Only Bobby Bonds had played in more games before going to the World Series -- 2,439 until he got there for the San Francisco Giants in 2002.

The only player who had played more games for the same team before playing in the World Series was Al Kaline for the Detroit Tigers. In his 18th season with the Astros, Biggio is ninth on the career list for games played.

Berkman, among other players who have become known as "Killer Bs" over the years, had a two-run double in the third to tie the game at 3-all. But that was all the Astros could manage.

After 44 seasons waiting for the franchise's first World Series game, Houston had to wait another day for another chance to win one.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press