Pirates let another game get away

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

June 23, 2004 Last Updated: January 06, 2005 12:14 PM Professional

HOUSTON - After getting himself out most of the night, Morgan Ensberg was frustrated.

But when it counted most in the seventh inning Tuesday, Ensberg came through with a two-run triple that sent the Houston Astros to a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ensberg batted twice before the seventh with runners in scoring position. He came up with the bases loaded in the first and grounded into an inning-ending double play, then grounded out in the fifth with a runner on third.

"I was swinging at a two-seam fastball almost in the dirt the first two times," Ensberg said. "I was being impatient and too aggressive then. I had two opportunities to help the team and failed at both.

"I've got this real thick skull and just can't seem to figure things out sometimes. It's about two inches thick I think. But finally in the seventh, I laid off, kept my shoulder in and waited for my pitch," he said.

Roy Oswalt (5-6) allowed three runs, nine hits and didn't walk a batter in eight innings, sending Pittsburgh to its 10th straight road loss and fifth in a row overall.

The right-hander, who lost three of his previous four starts and five of seven, struck out five.

The Pirates dropped to 1-15 in their last 16 games in Houston.

Astros manager Jimy Williams almost took Oswalt out after the seventh.

"I told him I felt fine," Oswalt said with a big smile. "I had less than 100 pitches and I mentioned that he let Wade (Miller) go 120 the other night. I kind of used that against him."

Brad Lidge gave up a leadoff homer in the ninth to Jason Bay, his seventh of the year, then finished for his second save.

It was the second straight comeback win for the Astros over the Pirates. Houston rallied from four runs down Monday to win 7-5.

Pittsburgh's 10 straight road losses are its most since dropping 19 in a row from July 23 to Aug. 30, 1985.

Kris Benson (5-7) allowed five runs and eight hits in seven innings, dropping to 0-5 with an 8.03 ERA in seven starts at Minute Maid Park.

Benson worked his way out of trouble in the second, fourth and fifth innings. But with the score tied at 3 in the seventh, Lance Berkman walked and Jeff Bagwell reached on an infield single.

Both moved up on Mike Lamb's groundout, and Ensberg hit Benson's 120th pitch to right-center for a two-run triple and a 5-3 lead.

"They got the big hit they were looking for," Benson said. "Morgan did a good job of hitting the ball. I got beat on my 120th pitch, so I guess you could call that tough luck."

Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson thought it was a tough way for Benson to lose.

"Benson only threw one bad pitch all night," Wilson said. "He was hitting his spots. He was awesome. It was our best guy against their best guy."

Manager Lloyd McClendon agreed.

"I thought he had great stuff," McClendon said of Benson. "He was throwing 94 and 95. He just got a pitch up to Ensberg and he took advantage of it."