Astros 12, Cubs 7
Clint Barmes and Hunter Pence hit back-to-back homers and J.R. Towles added a solo blast that put the Houston Astros ahead en route to a 12-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs on a windy Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Jeff Keppinger chipped in a three-run blast in the ninth to put it away for the Astros, who became the last National League team to reach the 20-win plateau (20-34).
The two worst pitching staffs in the NL by both runs allowed and ERA, Chicago and Houston got into a slugging contest early on Monday, with neither starter able to make it through five innings.
The Cubs led 6-3 when the Astros exploded in the fifth. Barmes cut it to a one-run deficit with his two-run shot, and Pence followed with his seventh homer to knot it at 6-6. Jeff Samardzija (3-1) came on in relief for the Cubs and yielded Towles’ blast in the sixth that put Houston on top.
Sergio Escalona (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning to earn the win.
Keppinger’s first homer of the season pushed it to 12-6 and kept the Houston bullpen from a save situation. The Astros have converted only seven of 20 save opportunities in 2011.