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Berkman's key hit in ninth helps Astros edge White Sox

Jun 10, 2007 - 2:43 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Lance Berkman didn't let an outstanding performance by Jason Jennings go for naught.

Berkman hit an RBI single in the ninth inning as the Astros posted a 3-2 victory Saturday over the struggling Chicago White Sox, losers of five straight.

Eric Munson homered and Jennings pitched seven-plus strong innings for Houston, which led 2-0 before Jim Thome tied the game with a two-run double in the eighth inning.

However, in the ninth, Adam Everett singled off closer Bobby Jenks (2-2) and moved to third on a base hit by Mark Loretta. Berkman then singled to left field, plating Everett to give the Astros a 3-2 lead.

"This is winning ugly, as far as I'm concerned," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "But right now, we'll take any win we can get. We did the job when we had to get it done."

Reliever Chad Qualls (5-3), who got the last out of the eighth, logged the ninth to earn the victory for Houston, which has won five of nine after a 10-game losing streak.

"Qualls did a really nice job, on a day when we didn't have a whole lot available down there (in the bullpen)," Berkman said. "He came in and closed the door."

Garner was resting both Brad Lidge and closer Dan Wheeler.

It had been a tough week for Berkman, who was suspended by Major League Baseball on Friday for his actions during Houston's 4-1 win vs. the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday. Berkman was ejected in the eighth inning after arguing a checked-swing call. He then came back on the field after teammate Carlos Lee was hit by a pitch and both benches emptied.

After appealing the suspension and playing in Friday's game vs. Chicago, he was thrown out of that contest for arguing balls and strikes.

Chicago (26-32), which has dropped five straight for the third time this season, fell a season-high six games under .500. It's the most the White Sox have been below the .500 mark since June 19, 2003.

"(The team) should be embarrassed, they should be upset, they should feel the same way I feel because we are here together," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "We hit together, we win together and we lose together. We are not going to give up."

Jennings cruised through seven innings before being relieved by Trever Miller in the eighth after allowing a leadoff single to rookie Josh Fields. After Miller hit Rob Mackowiak and both runners advanced on a sacrifice by Tadahito Iguchi, Thome lined a double into the right-center field gap to tie it at 2-2.

"I had some traffic today, but when I did I seemed to make the pitches I need to make to get out of it," Jennings said. "I kind of ran out of gas towards the end, but overall, I can't complain."

Eric Munson led off the third inning with his first homer of the season off White Sox starter Jon Garland to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

"(Garland) was pretty sharp today, he didn't give up any runs after (the home run)," Munson said. "He threw a lot of strikes and kept the ball down for the most part. He threw it in the right spot. I was lucky to get it up in the air."

Garland allowed a run, eight hits and a walk in seven innings.

In the eighth inning after Chicago reliever Bret Prinz loaded the bases, Mike Lamb hit a sacrifice fly to give Houston a 2-0 lead.