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Blum, Pence mash 'Stros past Cards

Sun 31st, August 2008

Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Geoff Blum went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and three runs batted in to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-5 win over St. Louis, in the second of three games with the Cardinals.

Hunter Pence finished 2-for-4 with a three-run homer for the Astros, who guaranteed their first series win against St. Louis this season. Houston had won the first contest in each of the previous four three-game series, then lost the next two.

Ty Wigginton added a two-run homer, while Lance Berkman had two hits, including a triple, and two walks for the Astros, who have won four in a row overall. Brian Moehler (10-5) took the win after giving up three runs on seven hits and one walk in six innings, with six strikeouts.

Cardinals starter Braden Looper (12-11) hadn't allowed a home run in 21 consecutive innings entering the contest, but gave up three en route to taking the loss. He surrendered all eight runs on 11 hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Rick Ankiel smacked a three-run homer, while Albert Pujols finished 4-for-4 with a two-run shot for St. Louis. The Cardinals fell to 5 1/2 games back of Milwaukee for the NL Wild Card lead after the Brewers beat Pittsburgh on Saturday.

Skip Schumaker kicked off an explosive first inning for St. Louis with a single, and two batters later Pujols added a base hit. Ankiel then brought both runners home with a three-run homer to right field for a 3-0 Cardinals lead.

But Houston surged ahead in the bottom half. After Darin Erstad began with a single, Wigginton crushed a pitch to right field to immediately bring the Astros within one.

Miguel Tejada followed with a double, and after Berkman walked, Blum cracked an RBI double to left field. Pence then cleared the bases with a three-run shot of his own to put Houston in front, 6-3.

Pujols' double in the top of the third was his 1500th career hit.

In the home fifth, Berkman blasted a low pitch to straight-away center field, only to have the ball land about 10 feet short of a homer and on the signature grassy slope.

He ended up on third, and Blum plated him with a home run to right to put Houston up by five.

Pujols hit a two-run homer off Doug Brocail in the seventh inning, that bounced off the left field foul pole, but LaTroy Hawkins and Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless inning each for the Astros to close out the game.

Game Notes

Valverde picked up his 36th save of the season...It was the 20th homer of the season for both Wigginton and Pence...Ankiel's homer was his 25th, while Pujols' was his 29th...The Cardinals have lost three of four overall.

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