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Pence's walk-off blast lifts Astros over Brewers

May 5, 2008 - 12:08 AM By Ted Dunnam PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) - Hunter Pence found plenty of reason to be happy about a 1-for-6 day at the plate.

Pence belted a two-run home run in the 12th inning to lift the Houston Astros to an 8-6 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday and a sweep of their three-game series.

Pence's one-out blast to left came off lefthander Mitch Stetter (1-1), who gave up an infield single to Lance Berkman to start the inning and retired pitcher Tim Byrdak before Pence's fourth home run of the season.

"(Stetter) throws a pretty nasty cutter," Pence said. "I was just trying to relax my hands and put the bat on it. That's a huge win for us.

"You have to take your hat off to our bullpen. They gave us a chance to win this game. It's a team game and you don't want to let the bullpen down. We showed a lot of resilience, and they had a great guy in (Ben) Sheets on the mound."

Berkman finished the day 4-for-5, which included his 10th home run, and Byrdak (1-0) picked up the win with one scoreless inning for the Astros (16-16), who moved back to .500 with the victory.

"Offensively, we've been swinging the bats pretty well except for the two games in St. Louis," Berkman said. "We've been playing pretty good - we're back to .500.

"It's not like it's the greatest place in the history of the world, but it's a start.

The Astros rallied off closer Eric Gagne for two runs in the ninth to force extra innings.

With the Brewers leading 6-4, Darin Erstad and Geoff Blum each delivered one-out pinch-hit singles before Michael Bourn walked to load the bases. Kazuo Matsui grounded out to first, but Erstad scored to pull Houston within 6-5.

Gagne then walked Miguel Tejada and Berkman to forge a 6-6 tie.

"I made some good pitches, I made some bad pitches," Gagne said. "We played a really, really good game, and I came in and messed it up. I put myself in positions I shouldn't have been in."

Mike Cameron homered twice and drove in four runs in helping stake the Brewers to a 6-2 lead.

Cameron, who on Tuesday returned from a Major League Baseball-imposed 25-game suspension, belted a solo home run in the third inning and added a three-run blast in the fourth.

Milwaukee scored in each of the first four innings, roughing up starter Chris Sampson. Cameron, who last season tested positive twice for a banned stimulant, homered once off Sampson before hitting his third home run of the season off reliever Dave Borkowski to stake the Brewers to a 6-2 lead.

Brewers manager Ned Yost knows his team let one slip away.

"We had our chances, but we needed to get big hits late in the game," Yost said. "We just didn't get them."

Berkman, who entered the game with a .316 lifetime average against Sheets, homered and doubled twice off the Brewers' ace.

The Astros' first baseman is baffled as to why he's so successful against Sheets.

"I have no idea," Berkman said. "He's one of the best pitchers in the league. I never look forward to facing him.

"But I feel pretty good - I'm swinging the bat well. But it's early May and there's a long way to go. Whenever you can win games like this - and we've won several like this - you feel like your never out of the game. That's a good mentality to have."

Pence knows Houston's potent offense can produce quick results.

"This club has the potential to win a lot of games," Pence said. "We've shown what we're capable of. It's just a matter of continually doing it."