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Lee, Astros topple Cubs in rain-shortened opener

Aug 5, 2008 - 6:17 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Houston Astros faced off against a Cy Young Award candidate and Mother Nature on Monday, but overcame both en route to a 2-0 victory in a game that was called in the eighth inning because of severe thunderstorms.

Brian Moehler outpitched Ryan Dempster through five innings before a 2-hour, 45-minute delay, and the Astros bullpen kept the Cubs off the board until the game was called with one out in the eighth inning.

"Tonight we had a very dangerous situation, and the players and fans are fortunate that nothing happened with 30,000 people stuck on the concourse with nowhere to go," Moehler said.

Carlos Lee had an RBI and a run scored to account for all the offense.

The veteran Moehler (7-4) scattered four hits in his five innings of work, striking out four without walking a batter.

"I think some the few runners they had came with two outs and that helped," Moehler said. "I felt good and got ahead of hitters, they were swinging early in the count and I got some quick outs."

The Cubs gave Moehler all the run support he would need in the top of the first inning. Miguel Tejada hit a one-out single and moved to second on a deep fly ball to center field off the bat of Lance Berkman. Lee drove a single the other way to score Tejada and give Houston a 1-0 lead.

Houston doubled its lead in the fourth inning. After Berkman struck out to lead off the inning, Lee, Hunter Pence and Ty Wigginton hit three consecutive singles to load the bases. Dempster (12-5) struck out Darin Erstad before walking Humberto Quintero, forcing in Lee with the second run of the game.

Both starters left after the lengthy delay, but the Astros bullpen picked up where Moehler left off. Tim Byrdak, Geoff Geary and LaTroy Hawkins combined for 2 1/3 of scoreless relief before more severe weather sent both teams scattering to the dugouts, ending the long evening..

"The weather was scary but at least we got a win - that was the good thing," Houston manager Cecil Cooper said. "The bad thing is that Geoff Geary slightly strained his groin slipping on the mound. Brian Moehler pitched a great game for us, hope we see more just like it."

Dempster allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven in the loss, just his second at home this season.

Despite the loss, Dempster was more interested in talking about the weather.

"It actually looked like someone was standing outside the stadium with a zip locked bag full of water and opened it up," he said. "We could barely see right field. To finally call this game was the smart thing to do, even though we lost."

The two teams won't have much time off as they meet Tuesday afternoon at Wrigley Field.