Cardinals 9, Astros 2
Lance Berkman homered for the fourth time in five games and Daniel Descalso capped a five-run sixth inning with a pinch-hit, two-run double to carry the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to a 9-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Rookie Lance Lynn (1-1) was a beneficiary of the onslaught, notching his first major league victory by allowing one run on six hits in five innings in his second career start.
Ryan Theriot also homered and Berkman and Skip Schumaker added RBI singles as the Cardinals improved to a major league-best 20-14 on the road.
It was the 15th blast of the season for Berkman, who has four homers and nine RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
J.A. Happ (3-8) was tagged for six runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings in absorbing his fourth straight defeat.
Hunter Pence went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 20 games and scored Houston's first run on Brett Wallace's first-inning single.