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Logan, Zimmerman lead Nationals over Astros

Aug 22, 2007 - 5:20 AM By Ryan Stanzel PA Sports Ticker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) - Nook Logan, Ryan Zimmerman and their Washington Nationals teammates are starting to feel so much at home at Minute Maid Park that they even handed Wandy Rodriguez a rare home loss.

Logan had a career-high five hits and three RBI and Zimmerman finished a double short of the cycle and drove in four runs as the Nationals routed the Houston Astros, 11-6, at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday.

"I guess we got over here and things started clicking," said Nationals manager Manny Acta, whose team was coming off a 1-5 homestand. "It got a little bit contagious. We just didn't try to do too much, which happens in this ballpark. We got base hits up the middle."

Logan's five-hit performance was the first in history for the Nationals, who beat the Astros for the second consecutive night after a four-game skid. The 27-year-old outfielder, who stopped switch-hitting in June, is batting .388 (26-for-67) in August.

"I'm just going up there free-minded," Logan said. "I'm not going up there (saying), 'Gotta do this or gotta do that.' I gotta take it one at-bat at a time."

Logan's night wasn't lost on Acta. It marked the first five-hit game for the Washington/Montreal franchise in more than nine years.

"That was an outstanding game," Acta said. "It's quite the accomplishment."

Craig Biggio hit his 53rd career leadoff home run and rookie Hunter Pence added an RBI single in his first game off the disabled list for the slumping Astros, who have lost three straight and five of their last seven.

A night after going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in a 7-0 loss to the Nationals, the Astros stranded 14 runners on base.

"We didn't put the ball in play a couple times tonight with men on base and it comes back to bite you," Astros manager Phil Garner said.

Not even a home start for Wandy Rodriguez could snap Houston out of its funk. Rodriguez (7-12) entered the game with a 1.65 ERA at Minute Maid Park - the second-lowest home ERA in the National League and nearly six runs lower than his road ERA of 7.80.

Rodriguez hadn't allowed more than one run in any of his last six home starts, but surrendered seven runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings in suffering his first loss in Houston since May 30.

"Wandy didn't pitch on the scoreboard like he usually does at home," Astros catcher Brad Ausmus said. "But he didn't pitch as poorly as the scoreboard indicated."

Nationals rookie Joel Hanrahan (3-1), making just his fifth career start, yielded three runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out two.

"(Hanrahan) really had to labor for those five innings," Acta said. "His location wasn't there with any of his pitches."

After Biggio's homer, Washington took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Zimmerman hit an RBI triple and scored on Wily Mo Pena's groundout.

But Houston came right back to reclaim the lead, as Biggio singled in Mark Loretta with two outs and then scored on Pence's RBI single.

However, Washington scored three times in the fifth, and not without some controversy. After Logan singled home Brian Schneider, he nearly got picked off first base but beat Lance Berkman's throw to second base.

Both Biggio and Garner argued with umpire Mike DiMuro but to no avail. On the next pitch, Zimmerman hit a high fly ball into the first row of the left-field Crawford Boxes for his 19th home run.

"It's nice to have a fly ball go out every once in awhile," said Zimmerman, in reference to the short porch in left.

Neither Garner nor Rodriguez blamed a lack of concentration after the close call.

"(Wandy) has been very good, especially at home, of buckling down and getting out of those innings," Garner said.

"I made a good pitch," Rodriguez added. "He hit the ball well."

The Nationals kept piling it on in the sixth against the Astros bullpen. Logan, Zimmerman and pinch hitter Tony Batista each had an RBI single in the frame.

Logan capped the Nationals' scoring with his fourth hit and third RBI in the seventh, when Felipe Lopez and Ronnie Belliard crossed the plate.

"To be able to come in here and score some runs and try to win a few games and get somewhere, it's gives us some confidence to hopefully have a good trip," Zimmerman said.

The Astros were also suspect defensively, committing one error but also watching a foul pop-up glance off Biggio's glove as he converged with Luke Scott and Lance Berkman.

"We batted well, but the other two sides we didn't play too well," Biggio said. "We gave them too many opportunities and too many chances."