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HOUSTON(AP) Rookie
Bud Norris
regrouped like a seasoned veteran after giving up
Jimmy Rollins
' leadoff homer Sunday.
The 24-year-old right-hander struck out six in six efficient innings for his first win in a month and
Carlos Lee
had a two-run single in the
Houston Astros
' 4-3 win over the
Philadelphia Phillies
.
Norris (4-3) allowed two runs and six hits to snap a personal three-game losing streak and earn his first victory since Aug.
12 at Florida. He had been hit hard since becoming the first rookie in Astros history to win his first three starts.
''They let you know where you stand a little bit,'' Norris said of his last three outings. ''You kind of gather yourself,
get back to the basics, just keep going at it and that's exactly what I did.''
Michael Bourn
stole two bases and scored twice for the Astros.
Lance Berkman
and
Miguel Tejada
each drove in a run, and
Jose Valverde
pitched a scoreless ninth for his 21st save in 25 chances.
The Astros, out of the NL playoff race, have won seven of their last eight home games.
''They keep playing all the time, they don't quit,'' manager
Cecil Cooper
said. ''They play hard all the time.''
Jimmy Rollins
,
Ben Francisco
and
Jayson Werth
homered for the Phillies.
Cole Hamels
(8-9) gave up four runs and eight hits over six innings to lose for the fourth time in seven starts.
Rollins drove Norris' fourth pitch into the Astros' bullpen for his fourth leadoff homer of the season and No. 32 for his
career. Norris then struck out two of the next four hitters.
''The first batter of the game is always a question mark,'' Norris said. ''But I came back and the rest of the game, I pitched
really well.''
Hamels extended his scoreless streak to a career-best 21 innings before the Astros got to him in the third. Bourn singled,
stole second and scored on Berkman's one-out bloop single to right for the first run allowed by Hamels since Aug. 21.
The Phillies traded Bourn to the Astros in November 2007 as part of the
Brad Lidge
deal and are familiar with his abilities in the leadoff spot.
''With the type of speed he has, I think there's a reason he's been such a huge threat and a big player for their team,''
Hamels said.
The Astros scored three times in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Bourn beat out an infield single, stole second and advanced
on Kaz Matsui's infield single. After Berkman grounded out, Lee blooped a two-run single to right. Tejada then drove in Lee
with a double down the third-base line.
Once again, Bourn triggered the rally.
''He set the stage for the game,'' Phillies manager
Charlie Manuel
said. ''He set up their offense a couple of times there. He can turn the game around. That's what speed will do for you.''
Norris retired eight of the last nine hitters he faced. Cooper said Norris showed more poise than he had in his previous three
starts.
''He's got the stuff, he just has to learn how to pitch,'' Cooper said. ''Today, he kept his emotions out of it and just kept
pitching.''
The Astros called up Norris on July 29, when he was leading the Pacific Coast League in ERA and strikeouts. He pitched seven
shutout innings in St. Louis, then beat Milwaukee and Florida before the losing streak.
Norris quickly found his rhythm against the Phillies and his confidence grew with every pitch.
''As the game progressed, I got into a groove,'' he said. ''Once I got the ball rolling a little bit, I felt great. I want
to keep it going for the next couple of starts.''
LaTroy Hawkins
allowed Werth's leadoff homer in the eighth before Valverde finished.
NOTES: Bourn leads the NL with 52 stolen bases. ... The Phillies lead the NL with 94 home runs on the road. ... The Phillies
dropped to 51-15 this season when Rollins scores a run. ... Cooper said INF
Jeff Keppinger
will miss a few days with tightness in his back.
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