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Astros top Padres, move to 4-0 on road trip

Jun 3, 2011 - 7:41 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Chris Johnson hit a solo homer, drove in two runs and scored twice, as the Houston Astros held off the San Diego Padres, 7-4, in the opener of a four-game series.

Carlos Lee, J.R. Towles, Brett Wallace and starter Bud Norris each drove in a run for the Astros, who have won the first four games of a seven-game road trip.

Norris (3-4) gave up four runs on six hits over six-plus innings, but picked the win. He also struck out six and walked two.

"The guys did a great job getting some runs early to put the pressure on them," said Norris.

Chase Headley went 1-for-3 with an RBI to extend his hitting streak to 12 games for the Padres, who started an 11-game homestand on Thursday.

Tim Stauffer (1-4), who turned 29 on Thursday, allowed seven runs -- five earned -- on eight hits over five full frames. He also struck out four and walked two in the loss.

Johnson's RBI single in the second inning gave Houston an early lead.

The Astros added to their margin with a five-run third. Clint Barmes and Hunter Pence started the frame with back-to-back singles and Lee followed with an RBI ground-rule double to left-center field. Jeff Keppinger then reached first when Kyle Phillips was called for catcher's interference. Wallace came up with the bases loaded and plated a run when he grounded out. Johnson was intentionally walked to load the bases again.

Poor fielding by the Padres kept the inning going. Towles reached base on shortstop Jason Bartlett's fielding error. Norris followed with a grounder to Bartlett, who threw to second in hopes of starting a double play. But Logan Forsythe's toss to first was way too high. Two runs scored on the play to make it a 6-0 game.

"It was just one of those innings that you want to forget about," said Stauffer. "Just one of those bad innings, but we kept fighting after that."

San Diego got a pair of runs back in the home third. Stauffer singled and Bartlett walked to put men on first and second with two outs. Headley and Ryan Ludwick hit back-to-back RBI singles to cut the gap to 6-2.

Johnson's solo homer to left in the fifth gave the Padres a five-run cushion.

San Diego tried to make things interesting late with a two-run seventh. Phillips doubled and Forsythe singled to begin the frame. Jeff Fulchino took over on the mound for Norris. Forsythe quickly stole second to put men on second and third. Pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia and Eric Patterson both knocked in a run with sacrifice flies to make it 7-4.

Wilton Lopez pitched a perfect eighth and Mark Melancon threw a scoreless ninth to secure the victory and his fifth save.

Game Notes

San Diego and Houston split a four-game series from April 14-17 at Minute Maid Park...Pence extended his hitting streak to 14 games...The Padres reinstated infielder Jarrett Hoffpauir from the 60-day disabled list and outrighted him to Triple-A Tucson.