Houston, TX - Jake Peavy tossed seven solid innings, putting the brakes on a five-start winless streak, as the San Diego Padres beat the Houston Astros, 9-4, in the second test of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park.
Peavy (10-5) allowed just one run on four hits, with a pair of walks and eight strikeouts. He had been 0-4 with a 4.06 earned run average in his previous five trips to the mound, including a personal three-game losing streak.
The right-hander, who was 6-0 in nine starts before the slide, had allowed three runs or more in five of his previous six trips to the mound coming in. The Padres ace, however, is unbeaten (5-0) in seven road starts this season.
Brian Giles knocked in a season-high three runs, Geoff Blum finished with two RBI and two runs scored, and Milton Bradley added a solo homer for the Padres, who won for just the second time in eight games.
Woody Williams (5-12) yielded five runs on eight hits, walked two and struck out four over six innings in the loss. The Houston veteran was unable to keep his perfect streak against San Diego in tact, after entering the game 4-0 in four career starts against the Padres.
Carlos Lee had three hits and knocked in a run for the Astros, who had a three-game winning streak halted.
Houston put up a first-inning run when Mark Loretta and Lance Berkman ripped consecutive one-out singles, and Lee poked a base hit through the right side.
The Padres quickly answered with a pair of runs in the second. Kevin Kouzmanoff reached on a fielder’s choice grounder, Blum walked and Peavy helped himself with an RBI single to center. Giles followed with a base hit, plating Blum, but Peavy was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Bradley’s solo homer in the third made it 3-1, and San Diego added two more in the sixth on a run-scoring single by Kouzmanoff and a sacrifice fly from Blum.
The rout continued as the Padres tacked on three more in the eighth. Blum’s single to center scored Khalil Greene, who had doubled with one out, and after pinch-hitter Jose Cruz walked to load the bases, Giles’ base hit scored two more.
Greene’s sac fly in the ninth made it 9-1, but the Astros scored a pair of runs in the home half on a throwing error by pitcher Joe Thatcher with the bases loaded.
Heath Bell replaced Thatcher and allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Morgan Ensberg before Craig Biggio went down swinging and Loretta flied out to end the game.
Game Notes
Bradley’s homer was his sixth of the season, but fourth of the year with San Diego…Astros second baseman Craig Biggio went 1-for-5 and is now tied with Rafael Palmeiro for 23rd on the all-time list with 3,020 hits…Attendance was 39,996…Astros catcher Brad Ausmus recorded his 100th career stolen base.
