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Oswalt, Berkman help Astros pound Brewers

Jun 11, 2008 - 3:37 AM By Andrew J. Ferraro PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

HOUSTON (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros were glad to see the old Roy Oswalt on the mound Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park.

Oswalt has struggled often this year, but he struck out a season-high 10 batters in seven strong innings as the Astros recorded a 6-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

"I just felt a little bit better out there tonight and I really had good command of my fastball," said Oswalt, who recruited the help of Lance Berkman between starts. "I asked him to stand in there (Friday) while I was throwing to see if he saw, from a hitter's perspective, anything that might be a little off.

"He just told me not to do anything different and it all worked out. He was a tremendous help."

Berkman helped the Astros with his bat too, homering in the first inning and driving in five runs.

Oswalt (5-6) struck out at least one batter in every inning he pitched, and Triple Crown threat Berkman had three hits as the Astros improved to 2-2 in the midst of a nine-game homestand.

For Oswalt, it was his best start since allowing just one earned run in seven innings on April 16 at Philadelphia.

"He pitched really well for us tonight," Astros manager Cecil Cooper said. "He located his fastball up and down, in and out and that was vintage Roy out there for us tonight."

Berkman hit a two-run blast in the first inning and delivered a triple with the bases loaded in the seventh on a ball misplayed by Brewers center fielder Mike Cameron. Berkman is batting .379 with 19 blasts and 56 RBI on the campaign.

"It's a good thing (third base coach) Ed (Romero) started to slow me down halfway to third, so I had enough time to downshift," said Berkman, who said he wished he had been running hard from the get- go. "But getting the lead for Roy tonight was very big. He might be one of the best pitchers ever with the lead, so whenever you can get a few runs for Roy we, as a team, feel that he is going to hold it."

Darin Erstad drove in the other run for the Astros, who broke open a close game with four runs in the seventh off reliever Julian Tavarez.

Relievers Doug Brocail and Wesley Wright each threw a perfect inning to close out the game for Houston, which improved to 17-11 at home this season.

Ryan Braun hit a solo homer for the Brewers, who fell to 13-7 since getting swept against Boston on May 16-18. Milwaukee did not have any players with more than one hit in the game.

"He was nasty," Braun said referring to Oswalt. "His fastball was exploding at us tonight and that was the best I have ever seen that guy pitch. He was really on top of his game tonight."

Seth McClung (3-3) pitched well in his fifth start of the season, allowing just the two-run homer by Berkman in the first inning. In the five innings that followed, McClung allowed just two singles while walking one and striking out five.

"Seth was good, but Roy was really tough on us tonight," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He made some tough pitches when he needed to. When you are facing Roy Oswalt, you have to work really hard to get anything off him."

Yost, who said not capitalizing with runners on first and third with one out in the opening frame hurt his team, also was quick to defend Cameron's defense on the Berkman triple.

"That guy is a Gold Glove outfielder," Yost said. "If he doesn't make that catch, nobody is going to make that catch."