Brandon Backe and Michael Bourn hit back-to-back homers to lead Astros past Brewers, 6-2
By KRISTIE RIEKEN | Associated Press | May 3, 08 9:32 PM CDT in
Sports
Pitcher Brandon Backe and Michael Bourn hit back-to-back home runs in a five-run fifth inning and the Houston Astros beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-2 on Saturday night.
It was the second night in a row the Astros have hit consecutive home runs, after they hit three straight in the series opener.
Backe (2-3) pitched 5 2-3 solid innings for his first win since April 12. He allowed five hits and two runs with three strikeouts and five walks.
The game was tied at 1 before Backe hit the third home run of his career to the third row of the left field Crawford Boxes off Brewers starter Manny Parra. Bourn followed with a homer to right field that made it 3-1.
Backe and Bourne _ not exactly the Astros vaunted "Killer B's" _ came in with five career home runs combined in 316 at-bats.
Kaz Matsui followed the pair of homers with a single. He stole second base before scoring on a double by Miguel Tejada. Left fielder Ryan Braun dove to catch Tejada's fly ball, but it bounced off his glove and dribbled away.
Lance Berkman singled before Tejada scored on a wild pitch. Parra walked Carlos Lee before he was replaced by Dave Bush, who was brought up from Triple-A Nashville Friday.
Hunter Pence's RBI-single ended the scoring for the inning and Bush retired the next three batters to take it to the sixth.
Backe's big game got off to an inauspicious start when Rickie Weeks hit a leadoff homer. Mike Cameron singled, but the Astros turned a double play before Prince Fielder grounded out to end the inning.
He pitched four straight scoreless innings before an RBI single by Corey Hart with one out in the sixth. Backe walked the first two batters in that inning to set up the score.
He was replaced by Oscar Villarreal with two outs after walking his third batter of the inning. Tony Gwynn grounded out to end that inning and Villarreal pitched a scoreless seventh. Rule 5 draftee Wesley Wright pitched a perfect eighth and Jose Valverde did the same in the ninth.
The 25-year-old Parra (1-2) allowed a career-high six runs and tied his career mark with nine hits. He walked four and struck out three in four innings.
Berkman grounded into a force out that scored Matsui and tied it at 1 in the third inning.
Notes:@ Bourn broke an 0-for-6 hitting slump with his homer. ... Parra had allowed one home run this season before Saturday.
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