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Six-run eighth lifts red-hot Astros over Dodgers

May 12, 2008 - 12:53 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros put six runs on the board in the eighth inning to rally for an 8-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.

Hunter Pence plated the go-ahead run with a single and Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee had RBI hits in the decisive frame for the Astros, who have won three straight and eight of their last nine.

Berkman finished the game 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, running his hitting streak to 10 games but snapping his string of multi-hit contests at seven.

"We are just playing good baseball right now," Berkman said. "I have felt good all season and just hope I can keep helping the team win games."

The perennial All-Star has ridden his recent hot streak to the top of the leaderboards in the National League, ranking in the top two in eight different offensive categories.

"He's (Berkman) been doing it all for us the whole year," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "Berkman is one of those guys that can carry a team when he's swinging a hot bat."

Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, going 6 2/3 innings before Pence singled to left field to break up the string.

Pence finished with a pair of RBI and two runs scored while notching three hits in a game for the first time since April 23.

"It was an outstanding performance for him (Kuroda) today," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said of Kuroda. "He was dominating out there today, just too bad we couldn't get him the win."

Kuroda was charged with one run and one hit while striking out five and walking three in 6 2/3 frames, but was denied his first win since April 4.

"He (Kuroda) was really aggressive and attacked the zone against there tough lineup," Dodgers catcher Russell Martin said. "It was his best outing of the year and it was just one of those games where our bullpen couldn't hold the lead."

Jonathan Broxton (1-1) took over for Los Angeles in the eighth with a 3-1 lead and yielded singles to Kaz Matsui and Miguel Tejada to lead off the inning before Berkman, Lee and Pence followed with run-scoring hits.

"I just didn't have my best stuff today," Broxton said. "I was missing with my pitches up in the zone and you can't do that against any team."

Pence stole second before Broxton finally retired a batter, striking out Ty Wigginton. Brad Ausmus followed with a pinch-hit RBI single before Broxton was mercifully lifted.

"Just seems like when you are winning, everything goes your way," Pence said. "I have been more patient at the plate and just looking for pitches I can handle."

Darin Erstad doubled and Michael Bourn capped the frame with a sacrifice fly to give Houston a 7-3 lead.

Broxton was charged with all six runs in the eighth, retiring just one batter, to suffer his first loss of the season.

The Dodgers responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Jose Valverde came on to get the last out and pick up his eighth save in 11 opportunities.

Starter Shawn Chacon allowed two runs in six innings and Geoff Geary (1-1) got the final three outs of the seventh to earn the win.