SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—Miguel Tejada had three hits, including the go-ahead single in the seventh, and Lance Berkman and Brad Ausmus homered to help the Houston Astros beat the San Francisco Giants 6-3 on Wednesday night.
Pinch-hitter Jose Cruz Jr. led off the seventh with a walk and was sacrificed to second. Tejada, who is scheduled to take his first day off this season on Thursday, then met reliever Billy Sadler with a sharp single up the middle to make it 4-3.
Berkman hit his 14th home run of the season, a two-run shot off San Francisco starter Pat Misch in the first, to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. It also tied Berkman with Philadelphia’s Chase Utley for the major league lead in homers.
Hunter Pence added a pair of hits for the Astros, who have won 10 of their last 12.
San Francisco’s Aaron Rowand homered off Houston starter Brian Moehler, but the Giants failed to capitalize against six Astros relievers, stranding runners at third base in the second, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Oscar Villarreal (1-3) pitched a third of an inning to get the win, while Jose Valverde worked the ninth for his 10th save in 13 tries.
Jack Taschner (2-1) took the loss for San Francisco.
The Astros jumped on Misch for three runs in the first inning but couldn’t get much going after that, until Tejada’s run-scoring single off Sadler in the seventh. Ausmus followed with a two-run homer in the eighth.
Misch, winless in seven career starts, pitched well enough but couldn’t overcome his early struggles. San Francisco’s lefty retired 13 of 16 at one point before leaving after six innings. He gave up seven hits with a season-high six strikeouts.
San Francisco tagged Moehler for four straight hits to open the second, including Rowand’s team-leading fifth homer. Rowand’s two-run blast down the left field line cut the Astros’ lead to 3-2 before Moehler made a wild throw home on Misch’s sacrifice bunt, allowing John Bowker to score the tying run.
The game was stopped briefly in the sixth when Astros left-fielder Carlos Lee injured himself diving for Jose Castillo’s double. Lee hit the turf hard but quickly got up, retrieved the ball and threw it to the infield before kneeling in the outfield as team trainers rushed out. After getting his left forearm wrapped up, Lee remained in the game.
Notes
Misch’s RBI in the second was the first of his career. … Astros 3B Ty Wiggington is expected to return to the lineup Friday and is available on an emergency basis until then. … LHP Wandy Rodriquez could rejoin the Astros rotation Wednesday in Chicago. … San Francisco RHP Kevin Correia, sidelined with a strained left side muscle, threw 10 pitches off a mound without pain.
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