Marlins starter and ex-Astro Brian Moehler was rocked for 6 runs in the first two innings, as the Astros built an early lead and held on to defeat the young Marlins in the finale of the series.
After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning,
Craig Biggio led off the bottom of the first with his 606th career double. He went to third on
Willy Taveras' sacrifice bunt and trotted home when
Lance Berkman reached the Crawford boxes with his first home run of the early season.
Morgan Ensberg followed with a walk, then new Astro
Preston Wilson drove a Moehler offering deep into the right field stands for another 2-run blast.
"My location was horrible," Moehler said. "My mechanics are out of whack right now and it's very frustrating."
"It was nice to score a few runs early," Wilson said, "and I think it put our pitchers in a situation where they didn't have to pitch error-free. Hopefully, we'll do some more of that for them this year."
Nice thought Preston, and a good idea. Astros starter
Wandy Rodriguez allowed four runs on seven hits and four walks in
his five innings of work.
Adam Everett led off the second inning with a nice bunt single, was sacrificed to second by Rodriguez, and scored when Biggio had an RBI single to center. Bidge then stole his 408th career base and scored on Berkman's bloop single to reach 1,700 career runs. His two hits left him two shy of 2,800.
The bullpen nailed down the victory with four innings of work, one each by
Russ Springer, Chad Qualls, Dan Wheeler, and
closer Brad Lidge . Qualls allowed a run in the 7th, and Lidge made it interesting in the 9th, but Everett's outstanding bare-handed grab of a slow roller and a strong throw secured the win.
"It's the only way we know how to do it," Biggio said. "We can win 10-9 or 2-1. It's just something that over the last three or four years, we have no idea on how to blow another team out. I think a lot of guys in here are used to the tough games."
The Astros have Thursday off before facing the Nationals at MMPUS on Friday at 7:05,
Brandon Backe vs. Tony Armas Jr.
