Bagwell’s Homer Leads Astros to Road Victory

Jeff Bagwell hit a two-run homer off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning as the Houston Astros wasted a four-run lead, then beat the San Diego Padres, 7-6, Friday night to stop a 10-game road losing streak.

Hoffman (0-2) hung an 0-2 pitch that Bagwell drove over the fence in left-center field for his 15th homer, the second time in eight appearances Hoffman allowed a game-winning home run. Rookie Julio Lugo was aboard on his third hit, an infield single.

Billy Wagner (2-3) had his seventh blown save in 12 chances but got the win. He walked the bases loaded in the ninth, then gave up a one-out RBI single to Tony Gwynn before striking out Phil Nevin and retiring Ryan Klesko on a game-ending foul out to third. Klesko had three doubles in the game.

The Padres, who trailed 4-0 and 5-3, tied the game at 5-5 with two runs in the eighth, but ended up losing their fifth straight and for the sixth time in seven games.

Lugo went three for four, drove in three runs, scored once and stole two bases. Lugo, who made his major league debut as a pinch-runner on April 15, hit a two-run single in the second inning and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. In the sixth, he singled, stole second and third and scored on Carlos Almanzar’s wild pitch.

Up with the Astros for the second time this season, Lugo was making his sixth start at shortstop.