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Rodriguez, Astros rally past Rockies

Jun 6, 2007 - 5:47 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- Wandy Rodriguez and the Houston Astros have not had much luck on the road this season. The starter helped that situation Tuesday.

Rodriguez pitched five solid innings and Lance Berkman had a two-run double as the Astros rallied for a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Luke Scott had three hits, including a two-run homer for Houston, which began this seven-game road trip with the fewest road wins of any National League team. The Astros and the Washington Nationals each had just 10 victories entering the game.

Rodriguez (3-5) allowed one run, five hits and a walk for his first road win since July 2. The lefthander, who struck out seven, had been 0-6 with an 8.01 ERA in his last 11 appearances away from home.

"I really needed this and felt like I've pitched well enough to win some more," said Rodriguez through an interpreter. "But sometimes that's the way it goes, you get them as they come."

Relievers Dave Borkowski, Chad Qualls and Brad Lidge each pitched one inning and Dan Wheeler had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.

"Our bullpen did a nice job tonight, an excellent job," Astros manager Phil Garner said.

With the Astros trailing, 1-0, after Garrett Atkins' RBI double in the fourth inning, Berkman put Houston in the lead in the sixth.

After Brad Ausmus walked to lead off the frame, Orlando Palmeiro hit a pinch-hit single to put runners on first and third. Two outs later, Berkman hammered a double to the center field wall off Rockies starter Jason Hirsh, scoring both runners to put Houston in front, 2-1.

"It was a tough at-bat," Berkman said. "Hirsh threw me a couple changeups earlier and at 3-1 in the count I thought it'd be a good time for him to throw another one. I stayed through it and hit a double into right-center gap. It was a good at-bat for me."

Hirsh (2-6) surrendered two runs, five hits and two walks in six innings to lose his fifth straight decision.

"This was a little more satisfying because I took a step in the right direction," Hirsh said.

Six of Colorado's seven hits in the game went for extra bases but the Rockies could only manage one run off Houston pitching.

"We had our chances and we know we had our chances and we weren't able to convert," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "They got two big swings of the bat, which was the difference in the game."

Later in the seventh inning Berkman was ejected for arguing a checked-swing third strike with third base umpire Ed Rapuano. Manager Phil Garner was also thrown out after Houston outfielder Carlos Lee was hit by a pitch in the ninth.

"Unfortunately, their guy threw at our guy and that shouldn't have been part of the game tonight," Garner said. "Clearly he threw the ball at Carlos."

With a man on in the ninth, Scott belted his sixth homer over the left field wall to make it 4-1.

"The homer made it a little easier in the ninth there," Scott said. "We got some real good pitching and some timely hitting. It was a good win for us."

Todd Helton had two triples for Colorado, which lost for the first time in three games.