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Lee, Berkman powers Astros to first win

Apr 8, 2007 - 5:26 AM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Not that Roy Oswalt needed much help, but the Houston Astros' hitters finally broke out.

Sluggers Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman homered and Oswalt pitched a five-hitter as the Astros recorded their first victory of the season, a 5-1 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals.

The five runs represented a season high for Houston, which had scored only 10 runs in the first four games this season. The homers nearly doubled the three blasts they accumulated entering the contest.

Lee, signed to a six-year deal in the offseason worth $100 million, hit a solo shot in the sixth inning to make the score 4-1. Berkman launched a deep blast in the next inning - his 100th home run at Minute Maid Park - to cap off the scoring at 5-1.

"From the get-go, we had competitive at-bats," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "Lance and Carlos both had good at-bats. (Lee) knows how to get a run across the plate. The natural thing for Carlos is to justify his contract. In players' minds, they think they have to do a little more. He'll settle in and do very well."

Throwing 63 of his 86 pitches for strikes, Oswalt (1-0) was very efficient, allowing one run one walk while striking out four. The two-time All-Star, who notched his 12th career complete game, lowered his ERA to 1.08 after two starts.

"I threw a good many (changeups)," Oswalt said. "I had three or four outs on first-pitch changeups and that's big. I mean you go into an at-bat where you go five or six pitches, you're adding 15 pitches onto the ninth."

"He was pretty aggressive," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "Counting the number of pitches over the middle, he had less than a handful. He had excellent command on both edges of the plate and that's how you can go through a team and not throw very many pitches because you've got to force the guys to swing. He was very sharp."

Craig Biggio hit a two-run double in the second inning for Houston.

"I think the key hit tonight was Biggio with the two runs," Oswalt said. "It put us up 3-0. It gives you a little cushion and you can throw a lot of first-pitch strikes and try to get ahead of hitters real quick."

St. Louis starter Anthony Reyes (0-1) pitched five innings, surrendering three runs and five hits with a walk and three strikeouts.