Astros 9 - 1 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Astros rout Arizona behind Rodriguez, Martinez

Aug 9, 2011 - 6:00 AM

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Wandy Rodriguez pitched six scoreless frames and J.D. Martinez hit a three-run home run, as Houston routed Arizona, 9-1, in the first of four games.

Rodriguez (8-8) walked four but allowed just two hits, receiving plenty of run support, as the Astros pounded out 16 against. Eleven of those hits came against Daniel Hudson (11-8), who gave up seven runs -- four earned -- in three frames. Henry Blanco's solo home run in the seventh accounted for Arizona's lone run. The Diamondbacks have lost four of five games and remained a half-game behind San Francisco for first in the NL West.

Jose Altuve finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored, while Martinez scored three times as well for Houston, which snapped a three-game losing streak.

The Astros struck first with a big inning against Hudson, as Altuve doubled with one out and Jason Bourgeois reached first when Cody Ransom misplayed his grounder. Martinez then drove a pitch on a line to the opposite field in right and over the short wall for a three-run shot. With two outs, Jimmy Paredes singled in front of Clint Barmes' single. Both runners scored on Carlos Corporan's double that just soared off the outstretched glove of Justin Upton in right.

"We took advantage of that guy today," Corporan said of Hudson. "We had good swings on the ball. When you do that, good things happen."

Altuve and Martinez were at it again in the second, reaching on singles to put runners at the corners with one out. Matt Downs' double into the left-field corner plated Altuve, and Barmes' two-out single allowed Martinez to score for the seven-run margin.

The lead grew even larger in the sixth, as Paredes' two-out single to left scored two runs for a 9-0 advantage. Blanco's solo shot in the seventh finally got the home team on the scoreboard.

"I've got to give Houston credit, they swung the bats well," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "Daniel missed some of his pitches."

Game Notes

Hudson struggled after giving up just one run in eight innings at San Francisco last Tuesday...Rodriguez had lost four-of-five decisions entering Monday's start...Arizona swept Houston during a three-game set in late May and had won 11 of the last 14 matchups entering Monday's series opener...Arizona is off to a 1-3 start on a 10-game homestand.






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