Astro Naught for Nomo

Something bad usually happens to Hideo Nomo whenever he faces the Houston Astros, and it was business as usual Monday night in the Astros’ 10-1 rout of the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

The Astros got to Nomo early for the second time in six days en route to winning the opener of a three-game series before 41,182.

Catcher Paul Lo Duca’s error in the third helped the Astros take command. They staked starter Wade Miller (12-11) to a 5-0 lead through seven innings, and Jeff Kent’s grand slam in the ninth provided the Astros’ final highlight while ending the Dodgers’ winning streak at four games.

The Astros (72-65) pounded 18 hits against four Dodger pitchers -- nine in five innings against Nomo (15-11) -- and tied St. Louis atop the National League Central. Kent, one of three Astros with three hits, connected against Rodney Myers for his 20th homer and 10th career grand slam.

The Dodgers (71-65) had only five hits, and Alex Cora’s leadoff homer in the seventh provided their run. The Dodgers dropped 2 1/2 games behind Florida in the NL wild-card race, and 12 behind San Francisco in the West.

That’s not the way the Dodgers had hoped to begin the season’s final month with a playoff berth at stake, but their co-ace had another bad experience against Houston.

“I don’t think there was anything wrong with Hideo’s stuff,” said Manager Jim Tracy, whose team dropped two of three to the Astros last week at Minute Maid Park. “As a matter of fact, his stuff was as good as we’ve seen it on a lot of nights when he goes out there and dominates people.

“The thing that he didn’t do a very good job of tonight was the two-strike pitches that he threw, when he was way ahead in the count. There were some two-strike pitches there where the ball was ... hit hard and runs were produced as a result of it.”

Nomo has dropped his last two starts to Houston, giving up 16 hits and seven earned runs in 10 innings. The Astros defeated him, 6-1, on Wednesday, and the right-hander is 3-8 with a 4.31 earned-run average against them in his career.

“The Astros might be a good hitting team, but I’m throwing hittable pitches to them,” Nomo said through an interpreter. “I threw a couple of hittable pitches, and they took advantage.”

Two of the four runs Nomo gave up Monday were unearned as the result of Lo Duca’s 14th error as a catcher -- the most among NL backstops.

With two out and Houston leading, 1-0, in the third, leadoff batter Craig Biggio, who had three hits, raced in from third as Jeff Bagwell flied out. A strong throw from right fielder Shawn Green arrived at the plate before the runner did, but a sliding Biggio knocked the ball from Lo Duca’s glove. Then Kent, who had six runs batted in, singled home Geoff Blum on an 0-and-2 pitch to make it 3-0.

“We certainly caught Nomo on two of his off days,” said Houston catcher Brad Ausmus, who hit his fourth homer in the fourth. “He’s been excellent all year, and he’s an excellent competitor. We’re just fortunate to have caught him on his two off days.”