Astros knock D-Backs' Davis out early in win

Astros 5, Diamondbacks 2

HOUSTON (AP) -- Carlos Lee likes to see a lot of players contribute on offense, and he was happy to be one of five Astros with RBIs in a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday that gave Houston its second straight series win.

"If we keep doing what we're doing now, it's going to be a lot of fun," Lee said.

Lee, who has seven homers and 35 RBIs, is encouraged by the Astros' recent offensive improvement.

"We're doing a lot better right now, scoring runs and taking advantage of the situation when we have opportunities," he said. "At the beginning of the season it was hard, but you know that when you have a good team things are going to turn around. We're just doing now what we're capable of doing."

Astros manager Phil Garner echoed Lee's sentiments.

"It was a good team effort," he said. "Everybody up and down the lineup did something to help out today."

Wandy Rodriguez (1-3) allowed one run in five innings for his first victory since last summer. Rodriguez, who had been winless since July 2, allowed four hits, giving up a second-inning homer to Scott Hairston that tied it 1-1. He was the last remaining Astros starter without a victory this season.

"I finally got a win -- thank God," Rodriguez said through a translator.

After Arizona loaded the bases in the third on a single and consecutive walks, Eric Byrnes grounded into an inning-ending forceout. Hairston singled in the fourth before Rodriguez retired the next six batters. Rick White relieved to start the sixth.

"Wandy was good," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "He mixes it up with his speeds and throws enough curveballs to keep you off his fastball."

Arizona's Doug Davis (2-4) lasted 4 1/3 innings in his shortest start of the season, allowing four runs -- three earned -- four hits and four walks. He is 2-0 at home but 0-4 on the road this year.

"I was tired after throwing 25 pitches in the first inning," Davis said. "I was falling behind too many guys. It was one of those starts that you want to throw out and just forget about."

Craig Biggio had two hits to increase his total to 2,966, taking sole possession of 28th place.

Lee, who had an RBI single in the first, was hit in the forearm by a pitch from Davis in the third. Lee appeared to be in considerable pain after the hit and was looked at by trainers for a couple of minutes before remaining in the game. When he returned in the next inning, that portion of his arm was taped.

Davis said he and Lee are "good buddies" after playing together in Milwaukee and that he didn't hit him on purpose.

"I asked him if he was all right," Davis said. "I apologized to him. I just got under a pitch. I certainly wasn't trying to headhunt."

Melvin said he pulled Davis a bit sooner than he would have normally because his team is struggling offensively.

"When you're not scoring runs, it puts a little more pressure on your pitcher," Melvin said. "Doug was probably not at his best today. But I went out a little earlier than usual because we're not scoring runs."

Houston, which won its second straight over Arizona, took three of four at Cincinnati in its previous series.

Brad Ausmus put the Astros ahead for good with an RBI double in the fourth and scored on Mark Loretta's single for a 3-1 lead. Adam Everett's RBI double chased Davis in the fifth, and Biggio doubled in the sixth and scored on Lance Berkman's single against Micah Owlings.

Everett is batting .152 in May with one extra-base hit and two RBIs.

Orlando Hudson hit a solo homer in the ninth off Dan Wheeler, who finished the six-hitter.

Game notes
White pitched a one-hit sixth in his second appearance since coming off the disabled list on Friday. Former closer Brad Lidge pitched a perfect seventh inning with two strikeouts. ... Biggio's two doubles gave him 649.