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Langerhans, Nationals edge Astros

Jul 18, 2007 - 9:12 PM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Ryan Langerhans blasted a three-run homer and Jason Bergmann tossed six strong innings as the Washington Nationals held off the Houston Astros, 7-6, in the finale of a three-game series on Wednesday afternoon.

Dmitri Young drove in two runs for the Nationals, who took two out of three from the Astros and have won five out of their last eight games.

Washington took advantage of ineffective Houston starter Jason Jennings (1-6), who struggled with his command all day.

"When the hitting backs up the pitching and the pitching backs up the hitting, we are going to win," Bergmann said.

The Nationals, who were leading 4-2, broke the game open in the fifth inning. After two walks were sandwiched around a flyout, Langerhans blasted a shot into the right field seats.

"It was a hanging breaking ball. It gave us a little cushion," Langerhans said. "It's a good feeling to get a hit like that in front of the home crowd."

However, the Astros got back into the game with a four-run seventh. Eric Munson smacked a two-run double, Craig Biggio hit a sacrifice fly, Lance Berkman added another RBI double and Carlos Lee drove in a run with an infield single to make it 7-6.

But on Lee's base hit, Young then ended the threat by throwing out Berkman, who tried to sneak home, to preserve the one-run lead.

"I never even hesitated. He made the play. If you're safe, it looks like a good play," Berkman said. "It was my fault. It was my decision. It turned out not to be a good one."

Bergmann (2-5) allowed four runs and six hits, while striking out three and walking one. Three relievers combined to toss two innings, bridging the gap to closer Chad Cordero, who stranded the potential tying run at third in the ninth for his 17th save.

"He gave us an OK outing," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "Thank goodness we were able to score more runs."

The Nationals started the scoring with a two-out rally in the first. Ryan Zimmerman and Young were issued walks by Jennings, and Ryan Church doubled home Zimmerman, sending Young to third.

Austin Kearns then ripped another double, scoring both Young and Church to make it 3-0.

After Mike Lamb's solo homer in the second, Washington added another run in the bottom of the frame on Ronnie Belliard's RBI double to make it 4-1.

Luke Scott led off the fifth with a solo homer to cut the Nationals' lead to 4-2.

"I'm a fly-ball pitcher, but I don't want to give up home runs like that," Bergmann said. "I've given up five the last two games. I'm missing my spots."

Jennings yielded seven runs and eight hits, while walking four and striking out two, in five innings for the Astros, who have lost five of their last six.

"It's a little frustrating because I didn't pitch that well at all," Jennings said.