Astros vs White Sox.

[king]

Astros win game 1.  5-2

Garner and Birk both ejected!

[KFDM COOP]

;D getting a few of those these days.

[KFDM COOP]

Astros win despite losing Berkman, Pence

CHICAGO — Even the victories are painful these days for the Astros, who earned the triumph over the Chicago White Sox despite losing two of their most important players.

Rookie sensation Hunter Pence exited with a strained right hip flexor in the seventh inning. All-Star slugger Lance Berkman was ejected for the second time in four days just hours after appealing the two-game suspension and fine Major League Baseball handed him for his outburst on Tuesday.

Luke Scott replaced Berkman in the lineup and drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth and scored another run in the seventh to help the Astros win 5-2 at U.S. Cellular Field.

Rookie righthander Chris Sampson held the White Sox to two runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts and one hit batter over 6 2/3 to win the opener of the three-game series before a crowd of 33,212. Trever Miller worked a one-third of a scoreless inning. Brad Lidge threw a scoreless eighth inning, and Dan Wheeler took care of the ninth inning for his 11th save.

Astros second baseman Craig Biggio led off the contest with a home run to left. Tadahito Iguchi tied the score in the bottom of the first with a home run to left.

Each team scored again in the emotional fourth inning. Berkman wasn't pleased when plate umpire Sam Holbrook called him out on strikes to lead off the inning, and he made his displeasure known. Holbrook responded by ejecting him. Berkman responded angrily to the ejection, but Carlos Lee restrained him and pushed him back while Phil Garner picked up the argument.

Unlike Tuesday night in Coors Field, Berkman didn't toss an equipment bag or his batting gloves onto the field as he exited. He was gone, nonetheless. Lee followed with a double to center, and Mark Loretta walked. After Morgan Ensberg's fielder's choice grounder to second, Chris Burke gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.

The White Sox tied the score at 2 after A.J. Pierzynski led off with a double and scored on Rob Mackowiak's one-out, single to right. Pence hit a two-out double to right field in the fifth inning. Scott followed with an RBI single to right to give the Astros a 3-2 lead. He took second on Luis Terrero's throw home. After Lee was intentionally walked, Loretta hit a fielder's choice grounder to end the inning.

The Astros score an unearned run in the sixth. Terrero, who had just been moved from right to center, dropped Ensberg's leadoff fly ball for an error. Burke followed with a bunt single. Eric Munson hit into a double play with a grounder to first, but Adam Everett followed with an RBI single to center. Loretta made it 5-2 with an RBI single to right in the seventh.

Brad Lidge, who had pitched in the Astros' previous three contests, took over in the eighth inning and issued a leadoff walk to Paul Konerko. He fell behind 3-0 against Pierzynski, who took the next two pitches for strikes before fouling one off and then hitting a double play grounder to first. Lidge finished the inning with a strikeout, extending his scoreless streak to 11 innings.

[lonestar]

Astros win again!

[KFDM COOP]

[king]

OMG we are on a 2 game winning streak! 

[KFDM COOP]

And the 2 game streak is stopped.

[lonestar]

well, it was fun while it lasted!

[Guest Diva]

Luke is still hot!