Astros Burn Wood, Gain Ground

One day after they couldn’t score for 16 innings, the Houston Astros broke through against Kerry Wood, who’s been especially tough on them in the past.

“Yesterday was a big game to lose and coming in today they got Kerry going, but it just turns out that’s how baseball is,” Houston’s Lance Berkman said after hitting a homer and driving in three runs as the Astros beat the Chicago Cubs, 9-3, Sunday at Wrigley Field in Chicago.

“We hit today about as well as we have hit all year,” Berkman said. “When Kerry Wood makes a mistake, you’ve got to hit it. He can get in a groove.”

Wood, who struck out 20 Astros in his fifth major league start in 1998, is not pitching poorly these days, but he’s not winning, either.

Wood (4-4) failed for a sixth straight start to get his fifth win this season and the 50th of his career. He hasn’t won since April 29 and has lost his last three decisions. He gave up six hits, five runs and three walks and struck out 11 in six innings.

“It’s definitely frustrating. It’s probably the first time all season I had three pitches I was throwing for strikes,” Wood said.

“I feel good and I feel strong and I feel like I’m throwing it well. Things are just not going my way.”

Coming off a 1-0 loss in 16 innings Saturday, the Astros broke a 23-inning scoreless drought with four runs in the fourth -- all with two outs. The first run scored on Berkman’s double.

“Basically, they got runners in scoring position, put together some good at-bats and got the job done,” Wood said.

His mission gets tougher Saturday when he is scheduled to face the New York Yankees and fellow Texan Roger Clemens, who failed Sunday to get his 300th victory at Detroit.

Clemens and Wood share the major league record with 20 strikeouts in a nine-inning game.

Houston’s Jeriome Robertson (4-3) won his third straight start, giving up four hits in six-plus innings as the Astros moved to within one game of the first-place Cubs in the National League Central.

Philadelphia 4-4, Montreal 3-1 -- Tomas Perez hit a two-run double and Brett Myers gave up one run and five hits in six innings to help the Phillies win the second game and sweep a doubleheader at Philadelphia. Jose Mesa saved both games for the Phillies, who won the opener behind six strong innings from Randy Wolf and Ricky Ledee’s two-run double.

St. Louis 5, Pittsburgh 4 -- Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds and Scott Rolen drew consecutive two-out walks to set up Edgar Renteria’s tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh inning of the Cardinals’ win at St. Louis. The victory ended the Cardinals’ three-game losing streak. St. Louis’ J.D. Drew homered in his second straight game.

San Francisco 4, Colorado 0 -- Barry Bonds hit a two-run double, and Kirk Rueter pitched into the eighth inning to help the Giants win at San Francisco for their fifth consecutive victory. Rueter is unbeaten in his last six starts. The Rockies hadn’t been shut out in 82 games.

New York 10, Atlanta 4 -- Jeromy Burnitz capped an eight-run sixth inning with a three-run homer to help the Mets rally to win at New York and take two of three games from the NL East leaders.

Cincinnati 9, Florida 6 -- Sean Casey homered for the first time in 19 games and doubled and drove in three runs for the Reds at Miami. Cincinnati won for only the third time in 10 games.