JoeMcClenahan
04-18-2002, 01:18 AM
CINCINNATI -- Continuing to torment the Cincinnati Reds, Lance Berkman drove in three runs with a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly, leading the Houston Astros to a 7-2 victory Wednesday night.
Berkman, who on Tuesday became the first player in the Major Leagues this season to homer three times in one game, owns a .413 career batting average (38-for-92) with 32 RBIs against Cincinnati. The switch-hitter had a chance to wreak even more havoc Wednesday, but he fouled out with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning. Berkman then left the game with a sore left knee. His playing status is day-to-day.
"He's a good hitter, and he just happens to have power," Astros manager Jimy Williams said.
Astros starter Carlos Hernandez (1-0) lasted 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season, yielding both Cincinnati runs and four hits while walking two and striking out three.
"He threw close to 90 pitches," Williams said. "Stuff-wise, for me, I didn't want to push it from a standpoint of too high a pitch count. I thought he threw as well stuff-wise with the last hitter he faced as well as the first hitter. [He] probably could have kept going but I think we did the right thing because we have a lot of games ahead of us."
The Astros (7-7), winners of three straight games, opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning off Jimmy Haynes (1-2). Craig Biggio was hit by a pitch and went to third on Jeff Bagwell's single. After Biggio scored on Berkman's sacrifice fly, Richard Hidalgo walked. Daryle Ward doubled to send home Bagwell and Hidalgo. "Hitting Biggio cost [Haynes] big-time," Reds manager Bob Boone said.
Cincinnati (7-7) narrowed the difference to 3-2 in the fourth inning, which Aaron Boone and Adam Dunn christened with singles. One out later, left fielder Austin Kearns, making his Major League debut, singled to right field, scoring Boone as Dunn went to third. Todd Walker's ground out scored Dunn.
Bagwell doubled with two outs in the fifth before Berkman launched his eighth homer of the season to spoil Haynes' final inning. Berkman matched a franchise record as the sixth player to hit four homers in two games. Vinny Castilla was the most recent Astro to accomplish this feat, doing so last July 27-28.
Houston added a pair of runs in the seventh after loading the bases against reliever Scott Williamson on singles by Adam Everitt and Brad Ausmus and a walk to Bagwell. Gabe White relieved Williamson and retired Berkman before Richard Hidalgo lined a two-run single, sealing the Reds' third consecutive loss.
The crowd of 14,527 was the smallest at Cinergy Field since Monday, May 3, 1999, when 13,943 watched the Reds host the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Chris Haft covers the Reds for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Berkman, who on Tuesday became the first player in the Major Leagues this season to homer three times in one game, owns a .413 career batting average (38-for-92) with 32 RBIs against Cincinnati. The switch-hitter had a chance to wreak even more havoc Wednesday, but he fouled out with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning. Berkman then left the game with a sore left knee. His playing status is day-to-day.
"He's a good hitter, and he just happens to have power," Astros manager Jimy Williams said.
Astros starter Carlos Hernandez (1-0) lasted 5 1/3 innings in his second start of the season, yielding both Cincinnati runs and four hits while walking two and striking out three.
"He threw close to 90 pitches," Williams said. "Stuff-wise, for me, I didn't want to push it from a standpoint of too high a pitch count. I thought he threw as well stuff-wise with the last hitter he faced as well as the first hitter. [He] probably could have kept going but I think we did the right thing because we have a lot of games ahead of us."
The Astros (7-7), winners of three straight games, opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning off Jimmy Haynes (1-2). Craig Biggio was hit by a pitch and went to third on Jeff Bagwell's single. After Biggio scored on Berkman's sacrifice fly, Richard Hidalgo walked. Daryle Ward doubled to send home Bagwell and Hidalgo. "Hitting Biggio cost [Haynes] big-time," Reds manager Bob Boone said.
Cincinnati (7-7) narrowed the difference to 3-2 in the fourth inning, which Aaron Boone and Adam Dunn christened with singles. One out later, left fielder Austin Kearns, making his Major League debut, singled to right field, scoring Boone as Dunn went to third. Todd Walker's ground out scored Dunn.
Bagwell doubled with two outs in the fifth before Berkman launched his eighth homer of the season to spoil Haynes' final inning. Berkman matched a franchise record as the sixth player to hit four homers in two games. Vinny Castilla was the most recent Astro to accomplish this feat, doing so last July 27-28.
Houston added a pair of runs in the seventh after loading the bases against reliever Scott Williamson on singles by Adam Everitt and Brad Ausmus and a walk to Bagwell. Gabe White relieved Williamson and retired Berkman before Richard Hidalgo lined a two-run single, sealing the Reds' third consecutive loss.
The crowd of 14,527 was the smallest at Cinergy Field since Monday, May 3, 1999, when 13,943 watched the Reds host the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Chris Haft covers the Reds for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.