Astros Play Long Ball to Beat Reds

Lance Berkman came out of the All-Star break feeling refreshed and ready to hit.

“It’s been an inconsistent year,” said Berkman, who is batting .282 with 19 homers. “Maybe one of these games will help kick it in.”

He’s hoping his performance Saturday is a sign of things to come.

Berkman, Richard Hidalgo and Morgan Ensberg hit consecutive home runs in the first inning, and the Houston Astros held on to beat the Cincinnati Reds for the ninth consecutive time, 9-8.

The Central Division-leading Astros (53-44) needed only six pitches to take a 5-0 first-inning lead.

Craig Biggio hit a leadoff single, Jeff Bagwell was hit by a pitch with one out and Berkman homered off Jimmy Haynes (2-10) for a 3-0 lead. Hidalgo, who hit two homers in Houston’s victory Friday night, followed with his third in less than 24 hours. A few pitches later, Ensberg made it three homers in a row.

Berkman had two homers and five RBIs for the Astros, who have won four in a row and nine of 10.

The Reds, trailing, 9-3, entering the ninth, made it close by scoring five runs with one out. Sean Casey hit an RBI double and Ruben Mateo had a run-scoring single off Kirk Saarloos.

Octavio Dotel came in and gave up a pinch-hit homer to Jason LaRue, making the score 9-8. After walking Kelly Stinnett, Dotel got two outs for his fourth save.

Ron Villone (2-0) gave up six hits and one run in six innings to improve to 5-0 in 14 appearances against the Reds.

Right-hander Ryan Wagner, the Reds’ No. 1 pick and 14th overall selection out of the University of Houston in last month’s draft, retired all five batters he faced in his major league debut.

Wagner, the first player from this year’s draft to reach the majors, got pinch-hitter Brian Hunter swinging for his first major league strikeout. Thirteen of his 16 pitches were strikes.