Pantagraph.com Weather forecast, local radar and more
Sports ExtraFriday, August 31, 2007 7:29 PM CDT
Astros beat Cardinals behind Albers’ 7 strong innings
Advertisement

HOUSTON — Matt Albers pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Lance Berkman homered for the second consecutive game and the Houston Astros beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1 on Thursday.

Albers (4-6) walked four and struck out three, shutting down the Cardinals’ offense for the second time this season. The 24-year-old Albers earned his first major league victory in St. Louis on May 5, giving up three hits in 7 1-3 innings in the Astros’ 13-0 win.

Chad Qualls relieved Albers to start the eighth and the Cardinals got two singles, but couldn’t score. Brad Lidge pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save.

Joel Pineiro (3-2) lost for the first time in five starts. The Cardinals began the day two games behind first-place Chicago in the NL Central. The Cubs played second-place Milwaukee on Thursday night.

The Astros won for the fourth time in 11 games and won a series at Minute Maid Park for the first time since sweeping the Cubs from Aug. 6-8.

Mike Lamb walked with one out in the Astros’ second and Luke Scott doubled down the left-field line to make it 1-0. Scott was tagged out trying to stretch his hit into a triple.

Pineiro led off the third with a single to left, his first hit of the season and only the third of his career. He reached third on Brendan Ryan’s double and scored on David Eckstein’s RBI groundout to tie it.

Berkman led off the fourth with a homer to right, his 26th of the season. He also led off an inning with a homer in Wednesday’s 7-0 victory and came into Thursday’s game batting .412 in his last 18 games.

Albers retired six in a row after walking Albert Pujols with two outs in the third. Eckstein reached on an error by shortstop Eric Bruntlett, and Rick Ankiel walked with two outs in the fifth. Albers struck out Pujols to end the inning, prompting loud cheers from the sparse crowd.

Houston rookie Hunter Pence, elevated to the top of the lineup Wednesday by new manager Cecil Cooper, led off the sixth with a single. He sprinted to third when Pineiro threw a wild pickoff try that skidded past Pujols for an error.

Pineiro escaped, getting Chris Burke to pop out and retiring Berkman and Carlos Lee on grounders.

Chris Duncan pinch-hit for Pineiro in the seventh and grounded out. Albers walked Ryan with two outs, but got Eckstein on a popup.

Craig Biggio, pinch-hitting for Qualls to lead off the eighth, singled off former Astro Russ Springer. Pence walked and Burke advanced the runners with a bunt.

Berkman was intentionally walked to load the bases for Lee, who came into the game with 103 RBIs. He struck out swinging. Lamb flied out to end the threat.

Notes:@ Berkman has hit 23 of his home runs left-handed. ... Lamb made a diving stop at third base to rob Ryan Ludwick of a hit in the fourth inning. ... St. Louis manager Tony La Russa stayed stuck on 1,041 wins with the Cardinals, tied with Red Schoendienst for the club record. ... Biggio has 3,043 career hits.

Take a look
Houston Astros' Lance Berkman watches the ball go over the wall for a solo homer in the fourth inning of the Astros' 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
Video
Most commented stories
Browse online archives
Recent issues:
Scores, stats, standings & more
Get the latest in all your favorite sports
MLB: Main | Scoreboard NFL: Main | Scoreboard NBA: Main | Scoreboard
NHL: Main | Scoreboard NCAA FB: Main | Scoreboard NCAA BK: Main | Scoreboard
Golf: Main | Leaderboard Auto Racing: Main | Results Tennis: Main | Scoreboard
High School: Varsity Sports Main | BHS | NCHS | NCWHS | CCHS | U High | More schools...
Area College: ISU MBK (MVC Scoreboard) | ISU WBK (MVC) | ISU FB (Gateway)
Area College: Illinois MBK (Big Ten Scoreboard) | Illinois WBK (Big Ten) | Illinois FB (Big Ten)
More: Extreme | PrairieThunder | MLS | NCAA WBK | WNBA | Arena FB | CFL | NFL Draft | NBA Draft
Reader comments on this story - 11 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

I wrote on Aug 31, 2007 9:00 PM:

" Always say ridiculous things and do not know why... I sometimes pretend that i actually played on one of those world series teams... and then my mom calls me for dinner. "

I wrote on Aug 31, 2007 4:43 PM:

" love how Cubs fans always think so high of themselves when it looks like they got something going. Who are you going to blame it on this time? Bartman again? Maybe the goat? We won't even be able to make fun of you guys anymore after next year because a century of losing speaks for itself. "

Cub fan wrote on Aug 31, 2007 3:34 PM:

" I know I 'm soundin dum agin; caint help it. Its just da way I be. "

Cards fan wrote on Aug 31, 2007 12:23 PM:

" I know I say ridiculous thingssometimes... but it's who i am "

Cards Fan wrote on Aug 31, 2007 10:15 AM:

" We're not even in September yet! Cards will finish first, Brewers 2nd, and the Cubs or Reds 3rd. Zambrano may never win another game now that he's got the huge contract. He'll just keep getting fatter. "

WHY????? wrote on Aug 31, 2007 9:17 AM:

" Do the Cards have a knack for playing tough against some of the league's better pitchers (Peavy, Sheets, Johnson) and making crappy pitchers look like All-Stars? This Albers guy is 2-6 with a 6-plus ERA against everybody else but 2-0 with a 0.67 ERA against the Cards. DISGUSTING........... "

Line-up wrote on Aug 31, 2007 8:14 AM:

" Keep batting your pitcher in the 8th spot, that seems to be working out well. I should say it's working out well for everyone else, but not the Cardinals. What a bonehead move! "

card fans wrote on Aug 31, 2007 7:03 AM:

" can dish it out, but don't take it too well. "

HJ wrote on Aug 31, 2007 3:29 AM:

" How many games do you clowns think you will win scoring one run? "

Re: Addison wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:54 PM:

" Something Cub fans know a lot about. 99 years is it? "

Addison wrote on Aug 30, 2007 6:34 PM:

" Cheer up... there is always next year "

Add your own comments

Please read the rules before posting comments.

You must be logged in to leave comments.
If you don't have a member ID, please register.

*Member ID:
*Password:
Remember login?
(requires cookies)
  Forgot Your Password?