Wed Apr 30 01:43:56 2008

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Blum and Astros get past D'Backs

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Geoff Blum went 1-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Houston Astros past the Arizona Diamondbacks, 6-4, in the middle contest of a three-game set.

Miguel Tejada went 2-for-4, scoring twice and knocking home a run for the Astros, who snapped a three-game skid. Carlos Lee and J.R. Towles each added an RBI in the win.

Jack Cassel got the start and went 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits. Doug Brocail (1-0) got the win after he threw 1 2/3 frames of one-hit ball. Jose Valverde earned his fifth save of the year, yielding only one hit in the ninth.

Conor Jackson hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBI for Arizona, which saw its two-game win streak halted. Miguel Montero accounted for the other RBI, while Orlando Hudson and Justin Upton each had a pair of hits.

Edgar Gonzalez (1-2) was dealt the loss after he was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings of work.

Arizona inched closer in the seventh, as Upton and Jeff Salazar made it first and second. Brocail then came on in relief of Oscar Villarreal and surrendered an RBI single to pinch-hitter Montero, which scored Upton and made it 6-4.

Valverde replaced Brocail to begin the ninth and fanned Upton for the first out. Salazar smoked a double down the line in right, though, Chris Burke struck out pinch-hitting for Chris Snyder for the second out. Eric Byrnes then came in to pinch-hit for Brandon Medders and went down swinging for the final out.

Max Scherzer threw 4 1/3 innings of perfect ball, fanning seven.

"It was quite a debut," said Arizona manager Bob Melvin. "First couple of pitches he was kind of getting his feet wet, his velocity wasnt quite there at first, but once he got through the first hitter it was lights out, literally."

Michael Bourn singled to begin the first and scored on a double from Tejada. A few batters later, Tejada scored on a single from Lee. Houston was up 2-0 after half an inning of ball.

The Diamondbacks evened things up in the bottom of the first. Hudson connected on a two-out single, and Jackson then belted a home run over the fence in left field.

The Astros tacked on more runs in the third. Tejada got it going with a single, Lance Berkman reached on a fielder's choice and Lee's walk loaded the bases. Blum cleaned house with a three-run double to left and was plated by Towles' double. Houston increased its lead to 6-2.

"It's always nice to contribute and I know it's been few and far between for the opportunities, but it's been nice with the bases loaded to have a key hit to help the team to a relatively early lead," Blum said.

Arizona got one back in the fourth as Hudson led off with a triple and touched home on a Jackson ground out.

Game Notes

The Diamondbacks won five of seven versus the Astros last year, including a four-game sweep at home in late May. They outscored Houston by a 35-12 margin in that set...Attendance was 20,241.