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Ausmus leads Astros over Athletics in extra innings

Jun 13, 2007 - 6:07 AM HOUSTON (Ticker) -- Brad Ausmus did a season's worth of hitting against the Oakland Athletics.

Ausmus, who entered with just nine RBI, drove in four runs, including the winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning to provide the Houston Astros a 5-4 victory over the Athletics.

Adam Everett's one-out double to right-center off reliever Ron Flores (0-1) set the table for Ausmus, who lined a 3-0 pitch to left field. Oakland left fielder Jason Kendall had a chance to throw Everett out at the plate, but his throw was off target.

It was a fitting ending for Ausmus, who had three hits, including his first home run of the season. Dave Borkowski (1-0) pitched two innings of scoreless relief to earn the victory.

"You overlook Brad (offensively) and he comes on and does something," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "He's been swinging the bat well."

"I knew it had enough to go out," said Ausmus, when talking about his first homer since August 5. "I didn't know if it was going to go foul. I have been swinging the bat well. I don't know why. I have played a little bit less (lately). Gar told me (Eric) Munson would be playing a little more. There is something to be said that a player my age (38) could use a little more rest."

Houston had the opportunity to end the game earlier.

Reliever Brad Lidge, recently restored to the role of closer, had a chance to earn his first save of the season. He didn't get it, allowing a solo homer to Mark Kotsay to lead off the ninth inning to tie the game.

Lidge had not allowed a run in his last 10 appearances, covering 11 innings.

"I was surprised (he allowed the home run)," said Garner. "He's been doing so well. He got overamped and tried to make a superhuman, ungodly slider."

"If I get a guy 0-2, I'm trying to put him away," Lidge said. "I tried to strike him out and do too much."

Mark Ellis followed with a double and moved to third on Lidge's wild pitch with no outs, but Lidge struck out Nick Swisher and Eric Chavez and got Bobby Crosby to pop up to end the inning. Swisher was 0-for-5 with four strikeouts and Chavez went 0-for-6 with four strikeouts.

"With a runner on third and nobody out, I knew it was time to do some work," Lidge said. "I was able to come back and give our team a chance."

Houston starter Roy Oswalt was the victim of the blown save after allowing three runs, six hits and three walks while striking out a season-high 10 - only two short of his career best. Oswalt, who hasn't won in his last six starts, has struck out 10 or more nine times in his career.

"I felt OK," Oswalt said. "I walked more guys than I wanted to. I was able to stay there in and get a rhythm going. The biggest thing for me is to get late in the game. I looked up in the third inning and I had 70 pitches, so I knew it was going to be a short night."

Houston gave up an early lead before rebounding to go ahead in the the fourth.

Craig Biggio, who had three hits, singled to lead off the bottom of the first and eventually scored when Carlos Lee flew out to second baseman Mark Ellis on the outfield grass, Biggio tagging and scoring from third for a 1-0 lead.

Oakland touched Oswalt for three runs in the second. Starting pitcher Joe Kennedy, getting his first at-bat since July 7, 2005, drove in two runs with a double over center fielder Hunter Pence's head and Ellis added an RBI single.

"It was a 2-0 pitch, I was looking for a fastball and it hit my bat," Kennedy said. "You do think you might have helped win the game."

But surrendering the two-run homer to Ausmus in the fourth put him behind 4-3.

"Obviously it wasn't a good pitch because it went over the wall," Kennedy said. "It was one of 12 curveballs I threw and the other 11 bounced."

On the mound, Kennedy allowed four runs, six hits and two walks while striking out two in five innings.

Houston cut the lead to 3-2 when Ausmus singled in Chris Burke in the third, then took the lead in their next at-bat.

Burke led off the inning with a single and, after Everett popped out, Ausmus lined a homer over the fence in left to put the Astros on top, 4-3.

But Everett delivered a one-out double in the 11th to set up the winning run.

"It was just a fastball away," he said. "You're trying not to do too much. Anytime we can produce at the bottom of the order it takes a lot of pressure off the top of the lineup."