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Williams, Berkman help Astros end slide, defeat Reds

Jun 1, 2007 - 6:41 AM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros looked to struggling Woody Williams to end their long losing skid.

Williams pitched five effective innings and Carlos Lee's two-run single was part of a four-run third as the Astros posted a 10-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.

Lance Berkman added a three-run homer in the fifth for Houston, which snapped a 10-game slide, one short of the franchise record. The 1995 Astros dropped 11 in a row from August 17-28 to earn that dubious club mark.

"To end this losing streak is great, no doubt about it," Williams said. "It was a fun night for everyone. I'm sure it's a load off everyone's mind."

Williams (2-7) yielded two runs, seven hits and two walks to earn just his second win of the season. Both of the righthander's victories have come against Cincinnati - the other being a 3-2 win on May 9. He struck out a nine batters and is now 10-5 lifetime vs. the Reds.

"I was most impressed with Woody, more than anything," Astros catcher Brad Ausmus said. "He pitched well, and we needed him to pitch well."

It was also just the second time in his last 12 outings that Williams has received four or more runs of support. The 40-year-old hadn't helped himself either, surrendering four or more runs in his previous three starts.

"I finally had a good fastball and was able to spot it," Williams said. "I made some pitches behind the count when I had to, and they fouled some pitches off to let me get back in the count."

Ausmus tripled to right-center field to lead off the inning. One out later, Craig Biggio hit an infield single, plating Ausmus to give Houston a 1-0 lead.

After Mark Loretta singled to put runners on first and second, Carlos Lee plated both runners with a double to the left field wall. Rookie Hunter Pence followed with a double down the left field line to make it 4-0.

"There was a sense of relief, to finally get some big hits," Biggio said. "We know we're all capable of doing it. You knew sooner or later it was going to end, and it was nice to end it in this fashion."

"Our offense put some runs on the board and Woody held 'em down," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "It was a nice night, obviously one we definitely needed."

All the runs came off Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo (2-6), who was tagged for eight runs and 11 hits in five innings to lose his fourth consecutive decision. The righthander, who also surrendered four runs in the fifth, has allowed four, four-run innings in his last three starts.

"You just show up to the park and do what got you to where you're at," Arroyo said. "That's the thing about a bad stretch in baseball, to me, is to not try to change things. The results aren't always an indication of how you're doing. I hit my spots and thought I had good stuff. Sometimes you get beat around the yard."

After an RBI single by Brandon Phillips and a run-scoring double by Scott Hatteberg cut the Reds' deficit to 4-2 in the fifth, the Astros responded again.

Biggio and Loretta had one-out singles in the bottom of the frame before Berkman hit his sixth homer just over the outstretched glove of right fielder Ken Griffey Jr. to make it 7-2.

"I'll take it right now, for sure," Berkman said.

The blast was Berkman's first home run in 69 at-bats dating to May 9.

"I haven't felt very comfortable at all since the first day of spring training until now," Berkman said. "I still don't feel comfortable. It's one of those things you have to go through at some point in your career."

Luke Scott added an RBI triple later in the inning to increase the lead to six. Scott added an RBI single in the seventh inning, as did Adam Everett, to put the game out of reach.

"We got a lot of contributions from everyone," said Biggio, who had three hits and is now 23 away from 3,000. "Guys feel good when they contribute. A number of us are scuffling."

Edwin Encarnacion had four hits and Norris Hopper added two for Cincinnati, which failed to earn its first sweep of the season.