Carlos Lee’s ugly season got a positive jolt Wednesday as the slugger helped end the Houston Astros end an eight-game losing streak with a two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Lee entered the year with 307 home runs in his 12-year career, but was off to a horrid start with no homers in his first 99 at-bats while hitting just .196.
All of that didn’t matter as he took Juan Gutierrez (0-4) deep for the walk-off winner. Gutierrez had walked Kaz Matsui to start the inning before Lee sent a pitch over the train tracks in left field.
The blast made a winner out of Matt Lindstrom (1-0), who threw a scoreless ninth inning.
Gerardo Parra drove in both of the Diamondbacks’ runs with RBI doubles in the second and fourth innings to back a strong start by Rodrigo Lopez.
Lopez took a no-decision despite allowing just three hits in seven innings with a walk and four strikeouts.
Houston starter Brett Myers was also strong, going seven innings and allowing two earned runs with six strikeouts and three walks.
Tommy Manzella belted a two-run home run in the second for the Astros, who have had a pair of eight-game losing streaks already this season.
Arizona | Houston | |
Rodrigo Lopez | Player | Brett Myers |
No Decision | W/L | No Decision |
7.0 | IP | 7.0 |
4 | Strikeouts | 6 |
3 | Hits | 6 |
2.57 | ERA | 2.57 |
Arizona | Houston | |
Stephen Drew | Player | Lance Berkman |
2 | Hits | 1 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
4 | TB | 1 |
.500 | Avg | .500 |