Houston, TX – Carlos Quentin clubbed a go-ahead RBI double in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Padres to an 8-7 victory over the Astros in the opener of a four-game series Monday at Minute Maid Park.
Brandon Lyon (0-2) entered in the 10th for the Astros and issued a one-out walk to Chase Headley. Headley quickly swiped second before coming around to score on Quentin's go-ahead double to right.
"The last number of games for Carlos (Quentin), he's just been a tick off. So hopefully, two hits tonight, hard line drives up the middle the other way, gets him going again," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "That was a huge hit."
Huston Street fired a scoreless bottom of the 10th to record his 11th save of the year and nail down San Diego's third win in their last four tries.
Jesus Guzman crushed a two-run homer in the eighth, while Dale Thayer (1-2) earned the victory after tossing a perfect ninth.
Brian Bixler and Carlos Lee each hit solo shots in the first and Jason Castro added a solo blast in the eighth to knot the game at 7-7, but the Astros lost for the seventh time in their last 10 games.
Castro's two-out homer in the eighth came after Guzman gave the Padres a 7-6 lead in the top of the frame with a two-run shot into the left-field seats.
Earlier in the game, Bixler and Lee gave the home team a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Padres battled back in the second as Guzman and Logan Forsythe stroked consecutive one-out singles to put runners on the corners before Everth Cabrera's bunt single scored Guzman from third.
Nick Hundley then ripped a double to left to plate Forsythe and Cabrera before coming around to score two batters later on Chris Denorfia's single to right to give the visitors a 4-2 advantage.
Houston responded in the bottom half as Castro clubbed a leadoff double and quickly scored on a single to center from J.D. Martinez to bring the Astros within a run.
San Diego restored its two-run lead in the third as Quentin singled, moved to second on a fielder's choice and crossed home on Fosythe's base hit to right.
Bixler doubled to start the bottom of the fourth, but back-to-back fly outs found him stuck on second. Brian Bogusevic then worked a two-out walk and Chris Johnson plated Bixler with a line drive to center to make it 5-4 game.
A walk to Castro then loaded the bases before Martinez followed suit with a four-pitch walk to plate Bogusevic and tie the game at 5-5.
Houston then jumped in front in the fifth as Bixler coaxed a one-out walk and moved to second on Brad Boxberger's errant pickoff attempt to first. Jed Lowrie then clubbed a double to right, scoring Bixler and giving the Astros a 6-5 advantage.
"We were one big hit away," said Houston manager Brad Mills, whose team left the bases loaded in the second, third and fourth innings and stranded 13 runners on base.
Game Notes
Denorfia extended his hit streak to 12 games with his RBI single in the second...San Diego starter Ross Ohlendorf allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings of work...Wandy Rodriguez went 6 2/3 innings in the start for Houston and gave up five runs on eight hits while striking out six...San Diego has now won four straight games against Houston...Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was not in the lineup after straining his right hamstring while running to first base during Sunday's 7-1 win over the Cleveland Indians.
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