Houston, TX – Jed Lowrie highlighted a three-run eighth inning with a two-out, two-run double as the Houston Astros rallied for a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in the opener of a four- game series at Minute Maid Park.
Matt Dominguez crushed a three-run home run and Brandon Barnes added an RBI single for the Astros, who have won four of their last seven games.
Wesley Wright (1-2) got the win after getting the final two outs in the eighth and Wilton Lopez worked around a leadoff single in the ninth to nail down his fifth save of the season.
Ryan Howard, Erik Kratz, Kevin Frandsen and John Mayberry Jr. all knocked in runs for the Phillies, who had their season-best seven game winning streak snapped. Philadelphia did not score after the third inning and left 11 runners on base.
"We just wanted to play like we always do," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel. "You have to play as hard as you can. Two teams are playing, that's no excuse."
Phillipe Aumont (0-1) lost for the first time in his short major league career after allowing two runs and walking two batters in the decisive eighth frame.
Trailing, 4-3, with two down in the eighth, the Astros rallied against the young Phillies bullpen. Dominguez got things started with a walk and pinch- hitter Scott Moore was plunked.
Jake Diekman was summoned from the bullpen to face Lowrie, who drove a pitch into the right-center field gap, just out of the reach of right fielder Nate Schierholtz, scoring Dominguez and pinch-runner Jordan Lyles.
Barnes capped the inning with an RBI base hit into center field.
Howard led off the ninth with a single into left, but Lopez fanned Mayberry on a borderline pitch and Domonic Brown grounded into a game-ending 3-6-3 double play.
The Phillies opened the scoring with a run in the second inning. Brown coaxed a one-out walk and scored when Kratz ripped one off the wall in left field for a double, putting the Phils ahead early.
The Phillies tagged Houston starter Lucas Harrell for three more runs in the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Juan Pierre got the rally started with a one- out single and Chase Utley slapped a base hit to right which allowed Pierre to go first-to-third.
"I couldn't throw anything for a strike," said Harrell. "I pitched horrible. The guys battled."
Howard drove home Pierre with a sacrifice fly and Mayberry brought home Utley with another base knock into right field. Mayberry then advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Frandsen beat out an infield hit.
Houston's first hit off Philadelphia starter Tyler Cloyd came in the home third on an infield hit by Jimmy Paredes. The Astros went on to load the bases with two outs in the frame, but Cloyd got Brett Wallace to ground out, ending the inning.
Justin Maxwell and Jason Castro reached with broken-bat singles in the fourth before Dominguez crushed a three-run shot into the Crawford Boxes in left field to pull the Astros within one.
Game Notes
Prior to Thursday's loss, Philadelphia had outscored its opponents 34-19 since a loss to Cincinnati on September 4 ... Philadelphia fell to 47-34 when scoring first this season ... It was Frandsen's first start since August 4, he had been on the shelf with a stress fracture in his leg ... Kratz's double in the second inning snapped an 0-for-16 slump ... Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins stole his 400th career base in the eighth inning ... It was the Astros 20th come-from-behind win of the season ... Harrell allowed four runs -- three earned -- on seven hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings, while Cloyd was tagged for three runs on five hits in three innings.
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