Lee homers, drives in 4, leads Astros over Cubs

[September 01, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Carlos Lee hit a two-run home run and drove in four runs, leading the Houston Astros to a 5-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.

Lee has hit 20 of his 31 homers against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He also had a two-run single to give him 85 RBIs against the NL Central division rival.

Roy Oswalt pitched seven strong innings for Houston, who won for just the second time in eight games.

Oswalt (8-5) bounced back after giving up a season high-tying 10 hits in six innings of a 3-2 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday. Oswalt is 5-1 since June 29 and the Astros have nine wins in Oswalt's last 11 starts. He allowed two runs on six hits, striking out three and walking one.

Astros reliever LaTroy Hawkins allowed a solo shot to Derrek Lee in the eighth inning and Jose Valverde pitched a scoreless ninth for his 20th save in 24 opportunities. Michael Bourn made a diving catch in center on Koyie Hill's ball to end the game.

The Cubs fell six games behind Colorado and San Francisco in the NL wild-card race.

Chris Coste led off the fourth inning with a walk and advanced to second on a Oswalt's sacrifice bunt. Bourn followed with an RBI double off the ivy in center against Rich Harden. Harden walked Jeff Keppinger and Lance Berkman to load the bases. Then Lee lined a single to left, scoring Bourn and Keppinger.

In the fifth inning, Keppinger led off with a single and, one out later, Lee homered to left-center to put the Astros up 5-0. It was Lee's 22nd of the season.

Harden (8-8) allowed five runs on five hits in five innings. He struck out nine but walked six.

Harden was reportedly claimed on the waivers by the Twins, but Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said there was no serious trade discussions between the Cubs and the Twins.

"That was the biggest non-story of that big of a magnitude. We always run everyone through trade waivers," Hendry said before the game. "I can honestly tell you we never gave it any substantive thought because we would never give up unless we're out of it."

With one out in the fifth, Jeff Baker singled and scored from first on Hill's double. With two outs, Ryan Theriot hit an RBI single.

Milton Bradley was 0 for 4 for the Cubs and was booed after every out he made.

NOTES: Five months after open-heart surgery, Astros 3B Aaron Boone will be activated when major league rosters expand on Tuesday. Astros manager Cecil Cooper is uncertain if Boone will see action Tuesday, but might play against Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly on Wednesday. "He's available but I can't say if he'll start. We'll just have to look at it maybe on Wednesday. I'll look at it and figure out how to get him in there," Cooper said. ... Cubs C Geovany Soto was out of the lineup while in a 6 for 47 slump. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year is hitting .212 in 84 games this season. Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he is going to play Hill more at catcher. ... Cooper said right-hander Felipe Paulino will start Wednesday against the Cubs. ... Cubs LF Alfonso Soriano missed his third game with a sore left knee.

[Associated Press]

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