Sat May 10 01:53:56 2008

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Red-hot Berkman hits Astros past Dodgers

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Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Lance Berkman belted a two-run homer and Carlos Lee also drove in two runs in Houston's 7-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game series.

Berkman, who had three hits, has 16 in his last 20 at-bats.

Brian Moehler (1-0), making his first start since September of 2006 when he was with Florida. threw five innings to get the win. Moehler, who came into the game with a 7.04 ERA out of the bullpen, started in place of the injured Wandy Rodriguez. Moehler allowed five hits, walked one and fanned five in his scoreless appearance.

Kaz Matsui had a pair of hits with an RBI and scored twice for the Astros, who have won six of their last seven games.

Derek Lowe (2-3) surrendered eight hits and six runs over 5 1/3 innings in his losing his second consecutive start.

James Loney and Blake DeWitt each had two hits for the Dodgers, losers of two straight after winning 10 of 11. The Dodgers went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Houston scored twice in both the second and third innings. Berkman and Lee started the inning with consecutive doubles, and after Geoff Blum singled Hunter Pence reached first on an error by second baseman Jeff Kent. That allowed Lee to come home.

Michael Bourn singled, stole second and scored on a Matsui double in the third. Lee lofted a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Miguel Tejada singled with two down in the fifth, and Berkman followed with his 12th homer of the year, a blast to right field for a 6-0 cushion.

Tejada doubled in Matsui in the ninth, before LA scored its lone run in the bottom half when Andruw Jones doubled and later scored on Chin-Lung Hu's groundout.

Game Notes

Of the 21 batters Moehler faced, he had 15 first-pitch strikes. Of those 15, 13 were outs...Kent is hitless in his last four starts, a span of 13 at- bats...Houston has won five of the last seven meetings.