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Hardy's two-run double helps Capuano remain perfect

Apr 28, 2007 - 6:54 AM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Even ace Roy Oswalt could not put a halt to the Houston Astros' longest losing streak in two years.

J.J. Hardy hit a two-run double to snap a tie and the Milwaukee Brewers went on to post a 4-1 victory over the Astros in the first of a three-game series.

Oswalt held the Brewers scoreless until the seventh, but received only one run from his teammates against Chris Capuano and the Milwaukee bullpen.

"He threw well," Houston manager Phil Garner said of Oswalt. "It was another fine outing. It was vintage Oswalt."

Geoff Jenkins led off the decisive inning with a base hit and moved to third on a double by Gregg Gross. After Craig Counsell struck out, pinch hitter Tony Gwynn Jr. walked.

Rickie Weeks followed with a fielder's choice that scored Jenkins. Hardy then drilled an inside fastball down the left field line for a two-run double.

That was all Milwaukee needed against a struggling Houston offense that just capped a 3-6 road trip, failing to score more than four runs in any game. As a result, Houston has lost seven straight for the first time since the 2005 season.

"He was mixing up his pitches pretty well," Hardy said of Oswalt. "One at-bat was hard stuff. The next soft stuff. I didn't know what he was going to throw.

"I took a pretty good swing and luckily it stayed fair," he said. "Pretty much one through nine (in our lineup) can come through when other guys are struggling."

Hardy is hitting .300 (6-for-20) in his last five games with three homers and five RBI.

"J.J.'s been swinging the bat good off everybody," Milwaukee manager Ned Yost said. "He's almost leading the league in home runs." Oswalt (3-2) allowed three runs and six hits with five strikeouts in six innings.

"He threw well," Houston manager Phil Garner said of Oswalt. "It was another fine outing. It was vintage Oswalt."

"I felt good," Oswalt said. "I finally got behind the ball in the fifth and sixth innings. I threw a good pitch (to Jenkins to start the seventh). After that I was trying to get strikeouts. I was trying to get Weeks to hit in a double play, but he didn't hit the ball very fast and we didn't get it. I left (the pitch to Hardy) up and he just sat on it."

Carlos Lee drove in the lone Houston run with a single to center that scored Craig Biggio, who doubled to lead off the inning. Jenkins had two hits for the Brewers, who have won six of their last eight.

"I never really got concerned," Yost said, despite trailing Oswalt entering the seventh. "Sooner or later somebody would figure out a way to get a big hit. It's been a whole different feeling this year. It's a quiet confidence they have."

Capuano (4-0) allowed just one run and five hits over six innings to maintain his spotless record. "I thought he pitched a great game," Yost said. "He had far from his best stuff and got through six innings. He did a nice job of keeping us in the ball game. That's the sign of a good pitcher. He had his worst stuff and made it work."

Capuano won 10 games in the first half of 2006 and was named a National League All-Star, but stumbled terribly in the second half and managed only one win the rest of the way, finishing with a 11-12 record and an ERA of 4.03.

The 28-year-old matched his longest outing of the season. Four pitchers bridged the gap to closer Francisco Cordero, who worked a scoreless ninth to remain a perfect 9-for-9 in save situations.

"I struggled with my command," Capuano said. "I had a pretty decent sinker tonight and got some ground balls when I needed it."