Mieske Leads Astros, Again

Driving in three runs a game in making Matt Mieske real popular with the Houston Astros.

Mieske, acquired by Houston from the Seattle on June 20 for minor league pitcher Kevin Hodges, went 3-for-4 with three RBIs for the second straight night as the Astros got their 13th victory in 15 games, beating the Colorado Rockies 6-3 Tuesday night.

"When you are new somewhere, you want to gain acceptance from your new team," Mieske said. "I hit a grand slam on Friday and that served to put a little of the anxiety behind me."

Lima struck out four and walked none before Billy Wagner finished with a one-hit ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances, sending Colorado to its fifth straight loss.

Mieske went 4-for-5 with three RBIs Monday.

"What a great trade for us," Houston manager Larry Dierker said. "We got a veteran like that who can help us win games when we have a chance to win a division and all we gave up was a minor league pitcher."

Russ Johnson and Craig Biggio each drove in a run for the Astros, who at 61-40 are 21 games over .500 for the first time this year.

Brian Bohanon (9-8), 0-5 with a 9.56 ERA in seven starts since June 20, allowed five runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.

"I felt all right, but it seemed like they found every hole," Bohanon said. "Mieske got a two-run single off me that was two steps to Terry Shumpert's right and I'm sick of it right now."

Larry Walker reached 30 homers for the third time in his career, but went 1-for-4 to drop his average .370. Walker had two assists, raising his career total to 101.

Houston loaded the bases in the second with one out, but Tim Bogar flied out to right and Walker threw out Mieske at the plate.

Mieske then hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the third, and Lima escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half when Walker flied out and Dante Bichette grouded out.

Houston made it 4-0 in the fifth on Johnson's RBI double and Mieske's run-scoring single, and Biggio had an RBI double in the sixth.

Walker homered leading off the bottom half, and the Rockies added a pair on Jeff Barry's RBI single and Terry Shumpert's sacrifice fly.

Glen Barker added sacrifice fly in the ninth off David Lee.

"We didn't have many chances because Lima shut us down pretty good," Colorado manager Jim Leyland said. "He got into a little trouble in the sixth and then he came back and got us out on four pitches the next inning."

Notes: