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Blum powers Astros past Brewers

Jul 27, 2008 - 11:00 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Geoff Blum had two home runs and four RBI as the Houston Astros used a huge inning to breeze past the Milwaukee Brewers, 11-6, on Sunday.

Miguel Tejada had three RBI and Brad Ausmus had four hits and drove in two runs for Houston, which scored seven runs in the fifth inning to take the rubber game of the three-game set.

The loss dropped the Brewers (60-45) into second place in the National League Central, one game behind the Chicago Cubs (61-44). The two teams open a four-game series in Milwaukee on Monday.

"It was a good win for us," Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. "Especially after last night. It shows the attitude of this club. We don't quit and we play hard even though we are at the bottom of the standings."

Trailing, 4-1, in the top of the fifth, the Astros had the first four batters reach base. Ausmus had an RBI single and Kazuo Matsui drove in a run with an RBI groundout before Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks' error plated two more runs.

Three batters later, Blum capped the big inning with a three-run blast to right off Milwaukee starter Jeff Suppan (5-7) to give Houston an 8-4 lead.

"(Suppan) just kept his fastball over the plate," said Blum, who had a solo home run in the second inning. "The second time around I guessed and guessed right. He gave me another fastball and I got it."

Suppan surrendered eight runs and 11 hits over six innings.

"He was rolling right along the first four innings," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "I thought he threw the ball really well. He was commanding his pitches well with the exception of the 2-2 to Blum, which he gave up the solo home run. Then it all snowballed from there on in the fifth inning. He got the two outs and then Blum hit another one."

Ausmus, Matsui and Tejada all had an RBI in the eighth for the Astros, pushing the lead to 11-5.

The Brewers had built a 4-1 lead after three innings, keyed by Ryan Braun's two-run homer in the bottom of the third. It was his second consecutive game with a homer.

Houston starter Randy Wolf was a bit sluggish in his Astros debut but lasted just 4 1/3 innings. The lefthander gave up four runs - three earned - and seven hits.

"I didn't have my best stuff today," Wolf said. "My teammates did a great job to bail me out."

Chris Sampson (5-3) gave up one run over 2 2/3 innings to get the win.