St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - Jeff Keppinger went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs batted in, as the Houston Astros picked up their first win of the season with a 5-1 decision over the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game series at Busch Stadium.
Norris Shines As The Astros! Beat! The Cardinals!
Pedro Feliz also knocked in a run for the Astros, who had dropped their first eight games of the season and were off to their worst start since an 0-9 beginning to the 1983 campaign.
It was also the first victory for new manager Brad Mills, who was hired to replace interim skipper Dave Clark in October. Michael Bourn went 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice for Houston.
Bud Norris (1-1) earned the win after yielding one unearned run and four hits in five innings of work. The right-hander struck out nine and walked three, while adding an RBI single to his ledger.
David Freese had two hits and drove in the lone run for St. Louis, which had won four of five coming into the contest. Albert Pujols had a pair of doubles in defeat.
Kyle Lohse (0-1) was the hard-luck loser for giving up two runs on five hits in seven frames.
Houston broke through for a pair of runs in the third. Chris Johnson got the inning started with a single, took second on a groundout and crossed the plate on Norris' single to left. Bourn then bounced into a force out and raced home from first when Keppinger lined a double to right.
The Cardinals got a run back in the fourth. After the first two batters went down on strikes, Felipe Lopez's easy fly ball to left was dropped by Carlos Lee. Yadier Molina then drew a walk and Freese's RBI single made it a 2-1 game.
Mitchell Boggs replaced Lohse on the hill for the top of the eighth and the Astros tacked on three insurance runs against the right-hander. With runners at second and third and two away, Keppinger chased in both runners with a base hit up the middle and Feliz's RBI double put Houston in front 5-1.
Brandon Lyon and Matt Lindstrom worked a scoreless eighth and ninth inning, respectively, to lock down the win.
In honor of Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball, the entire coaching staff and players for both teams wore uniform No. 42...Despite the loss, the Cardinals have won eight of their last 12 versus the Astros, including 11 of the last 14 played at Busch Stadium...St. Louis went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight, while Houston left only two men on base.
See More:
