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Bullpen helps Astros hang on to edge Padres

Aug 19, 2007 - 7:39 AM By Tim Powers PA Sportsticker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Not even injuries to two star players could deny the Houston Astros. Roy Oswalt and Carlos Lee exited the game early, but the Astros persevered behind an excellent effort from their bullpen to defeat the San Diego Padres, 3-2, on Saturday.

Oswalt cruised through three scoreless innings before showing signs of discomfort while warming up prior to the fourth. Manager Phil Garner and the team trainer examined the All-Star righthander but opted to let him continue.

After the 29-year-old ace surrendered two runs in the fifth inning, he left the game with a strained left oblique and is listed as day-to-day.

"It happened in the third inning on the last pitch," Oswalt said. "Once I got on deck (in the bottom of the inning) and started swinging the bat, I could feel it. I told them I wanted to stay out there and see if I could get through two more innings. This is the first oblique I've had. I don't think I tore it, but it doesn't feel well."

Joe Borkowski (3-3) came on to finish the fifth and also contributed a scoreless sixth to pick up the win for Houston, which has now won five of its last seven games.

Trevor Miller and Chad Qualls each pitched a scoreless inning in front of Brad Lidge, who retired the side in the ninth to convert his 11th save in 17 chances.

"Throughout the course of the season, you're going to have some guys get injured," Lidge said. "You just hope it's nothing too serious."

The Astros' bullpen combined to pitch 4 1/3 no-hit innings, allowing just one walk with six strikeouts.

"They did a great job," Garner said. "Borkowski was key, he comes in and stops the inning and then has another scoreless inning. Then Miller comes in and gets us through a big inning, and of course Qualls pitched good and so did Lidge."

Lee drove in a run as part of Houston's two-run first against San Diego starter Justin Germano (6-7), but was pulled after the second with a strained right hip flexor. His status also is day-to-day.

Oswalt, who had won six straight decisions, allowed two runs and five hits with a walk and four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. He help himself at the plate, bouncing a bases-loaded infield single in the fourth to score Jason Lane with what proved to be the decisive run.

"I didn't want to swing in that at-bat (because of the injury), but he went 3-2 on me, so I just tried to do a half-swing and beat it out to first and it worked," Oswalt said. "For three innings, I felt as good as you could feel. My mechanics were great, the ball was coming out of my hand real well, and it's tough to come out of the game when you feel great."

Germano (6-7) lasted six innings, yielding three runs and five hits to suffer his fourth consecutive loss. The 25-year-old righthander, who won five straight after coming to San Diego via a waiver claim from Philadelphia before the season, walked two batters and struck out three.

"(Germano's) last three starts have been pretty good," Padres manager Bud Black said. "It was more of the same. He's keeping us in games, which is what we want from Justin. He's given himself and the team a chance to win."

San Diego rallied in the fifth when Brian Giles and Geoff Blum recorded RBI singles to cut the deficit to 3-2.

"It was a well-pitched game on both ends," Black said. "They broke through early. We had a couple of opportunities, but they made some nice defensive plays. We couldn't break through against them. Their bullpen pitched well."

Giles and Blum each had multi-hit efforts for the Padres, who have lost three of their last four contests.