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Red-hot Lee, Astros take on struggling Phillies

Apr 14, 2007 - 2:26 PM Houston (4-5) at Philadelphia (2-8) 3:55 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Once Carlos Lee quit trying to earn his contract with one swing for the Houston Astros, he started earning it by spreading the wealth.

Lee looks to expand on his incredible performance as he leads the Astros into the second game of their three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday.

After signing a six-year deal worth a reported $100 million in the offseason and admitting that he was trying to justify the contract, the two-time All-Star powered the Astros to a 9-6 victory Friday with the first three-homer game of his career. The nine runs were a season high for the team.

Lee finished with six RBI - doubling his season total - as he hit a solo homer in the second inning, a grand slam in the second and another solo shot in the ninth. Lee has hit safely in all three road games thus far, going 6-for-15 with seven RBIs.

The Astros, who are 9-1 at Citizens Bank Park since it opened in 2004, improved to 3-0 this season when scoring five or more runs, but is just 1-5 when held to four or less.

Woody Williams (0-1, 4.22), who has been pressed into a starting role because scheduled starter Jason Jennings has tendinitis in his right elbow, takes the hill for Houston. The 40-year-old righthander allowed two runs and six hits in six innings as the Astros beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-3, on Monday.

Williams has struggled against the Phillies, giving up at least four earned runs in each of his last four starts dating back to 2001. He is 3-5 with a 5.04 ERA in 10 lifetime starts versus Philadelphia.

Cole Hamels (0-0, 1.38 ERA) will look to end the struggles of a Phillies' rotation that has an NL-worst 5.77 ERA. The 23-year-old lefthander has allowed just two earned runs in 13 innings in his two starts, but has been doomed by an ineffective bullpen both times.

Hamels went 1-0 in two starts versus Houston as a rookie last season, allowing four runs while striking out 19 in 15 2-3 innings.

Houston will try for its fourth straight win and fifth in six games after starting 0-4.